Far Together, Close Apart
by ScarletRosePetal
Summary: Sequel: Jack is gone...again. All of the crew is determined to bring him back, though all for different reasons, and Selesta is especially indomitable. Even with their relationship practically dead, she'll do almost anything to bring him back.
1. Chapter 1: Singapore

**I couldn't resist, mates. I finished the chapter, and I just couldn't resist. So, as an early Christmas present, I'll give ye salty sea dogs the first chapter. Maybe, if I finish it, the second, before I head to th' grandparents internet-less homes. I really hope you guys'll like it!**

**And just to make things clear, italics are past memories.**

**I present to you...Far Together, Close Apart!

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**"Watch out for those ro..." The voice was cut short by the sound of crunching wood. I stood up from where I was sitting against the starboard side as I heard the noise and I looked into the water. The Singapore docks were less than 400 feet away and our ship's hull was being destroyed by rocks. Not the best way to start an adventure...

"De ship won't last long with 'er hull like that." Marty yelled while running up on the main deck of the little ship. "She's sinking!"

"We'll have to swim to shore." Will said, walking toward the bow. "Come on. We have to get off the ship!" He beckoned us to jump off the side. A few of them began to dive off the ship, but I stood where I was.

_"We have to get off the ship!"_

_"But Jack is trapped! We have to help him!"_

_"We can't move this mast. If there's a way out, he'll find it. We have to go before the Malvagita gets here. Come on!"_

"Come on!" Elizabeth yelled from the prow. "Selesta!" I blinked a few times and walked toward the bow. The rest of them dove off into the water as I approched, and the water on the ship's deck began to slowly seep around my ankles. I shook away the horrid memories from my mind. With one last glance around the sinking ship, I dove into the cold waters of the unforgiving ocean and gasped at the suprising temperature of the water. You'd have thought that it would be warmer there, but maybe it was just me. We slowly swam to shore, trying to be inconspicuous about it.

"Follow me." Barbossa said as we stepped onto the sandy beach. He nonchalantly began to walk toward the pier, trying to look as though we were always there. No one noticed us as we began to duck down under a closeby dock. "We need a plan." He began, but was stopped short by the sound of marching feet on the dock. We looked up through the cracks in the boards and saw uniforms.

"The East India Trading Company is becoming unstopable." Gibbs shook his head.

"Unstopable save for one chance." Barbossa said, still watching the marching soldiers. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a piece of eight.

"Spin it." He held it out to me. I shrugged and did as told. The coin began to ring; almost as if it were singing.

"What does it mean?" I asked.

"The Brethren Court has been called." He took the coin back from me. "Now we need Jack even more than before."

"Why?" I asked.

"He's the Pirate Lord of the Caribbean, Selesta. We need him to return. He didn't pass on his title to a successor before he died, and without him there at the court meeting, nothing can be done." I shook my head.

"I knew it." I said, just loud enough so only he could hear. "I knew there was an alternate reason to why you wanted Jack back." He said nothing, but looked away slowly.

"We need a plan." He repeated, acting as though I'd said nothing.

"Where is this Sao Feng?" Will asked.

"More than likely he'll be in his bathouse. Only his preferred customers are allowed in."

"Is that where we'd find the charts?" I asked.

"No." Barbossa shook his head. "He keeps 'is charts in a temple. Which one...now that's where 'm uncertain. I can promise ye though, it'll be in the one that's most heavily guarded that ye'll find it in."

"That I'll find it in?" I questioned. "I suppose that means I'll be the one who'll be searching for it."

"Ye'd suppose right." Barbossa nodded.

"And why, if I might ask, am I being volunteered for this?"

"Because, in case ye haven't noticed, most of us here aren't good for sneaking, though ye've proven yerself quite good at it throughout the years." I sighed. He proved a point.

"Fine." I shrugged. "I guess I'll go."

"You're not going alone are you?" Will asked.

"I guess so."

"I'll go with you." He volunteered.

"Will, no..."

"Two minds can work better than one. Besides, I don't trust you alone. You're too prone to trouble." My mouth opened in protest, but then I closed it again and nodded. He was right. I was being proved wrong quite a lot today...

"Alright." I nodded. "When should we start searching...Captain." I grimaced as I forced myself to say it. 'It's alright Selesta, he won't be captain for long...' I told myself while glaring at the conceited smile plastered across his face.

"Now."


	2. Chapter 2: The Right Temple

**The search for the Charts...a long, tiresome search, it is...**

**You know, it's almost like Elizabeth's search for the perfect wedding dress in me last story. Of course, lives depend on this one...

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**"What about that one over there?" I asked pointing toward another temple. "Plenty of guards..."

"More than the last one anyway." Will agreed. "Come on." We walked slowly toward the temple, trying to act as if we were comming to worship. We nodded politely toward the man standing at the door, but instead of nodding back, he stepped between us and the entry way.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"Outsiders not allowed inside." He told us in broken english. Will and I looked at each other, both of us thinking the same thing. 'This was the one' each of our faces seemed to say.

"Alright. Thank you." Will said, turning to walk away and catching me off guard. 'Follow me.' He mouthed, walking behind the temple. I understood. He wanted to be able to talk away from listening ears. A plan needed to be formed. "This has to be the one." He said when we were finally alone. "Of all the temples we've been to, this is the only one that's not allowed us to enter."

"I know." I breathed. "What are we going to do? They aren't going to let us inside." My hope was starting to fail. If Will and I couldn't get those charts, we wouldn't be able to go rescue Jack. He'd be stuck in the locker forever...

"We'll have to break in." He finally said.

"Break in? Are you serious?" My mouth dropped.

"Yes." He nodded.

"That couldn't possibly work. These are precious navegational charts that can lead to the most amazing, mystical, _wealthy _places. It belongs to a pirate lord." I said

"Look all we need to do is..."

"Will! No..." I sighed realizing I'd have to spell it out. "A pirate lord...who has followers. Who would be guarding this thing with their _lives_. Because if they lose it...they lose their lives."

"Alright, I get it." He stopped me. "But it doesn't sound like we have any other option." Will said as I groaned. I was still being proven wrong.

"I suppose we'll be breaking into a _temple_ then."

"When should we do it?"

"Let's wait until nightfall." I suggested. "We'll at least have darkness for a cover then."

* * *

"Walk a little faster." Will whispered as we crept toward the temple. 

"It's so dark. I can barely see anything." I mumbled. We continued toward the temple, making sure no one was around to see us. "How are we going to get in?" I asked, looking at the closed and tightly locked doors.

"Let's try the other side." Will suggested. We walked quickly toward the back of the temple and looked around. The back seemed almost as impenatrable as the front, save for one thing. There was a balcony about 11 feet off the ground. We stood in silence looking up at the balcony.

"Well..." I looked at Will. It was our only chance.

"If I lift you up on my shoulders, do you think you can get high enough?" He asked.

"I think so." I nodded, looking up at the deck. He knelt down toward the ground and I put my foot on his shoulder. Then the other one. He grabbed my ankles and slowly stood. "Don't drop me." I squeaked. Suddenly, I had just become scared of heights.

"I'll try not to."

"Don't _try_ not to. Just don't do it." I grabbed onto the railing of the balcony and tried to hoist myself over it. "Oof!" I rolled over the side and onto the marble floor. "Of course it would be the hardest landing material possible." I mumbled, standing up. This was all so vaugely familiar...

"Selesta, whatever you do, hurry and be as quiet as possible." Will whispered. I nodded and turned to go into the temple. I was on my own.


	3. Chapter 3: Torture

**Alright! I'm back a little early, so I finished this chapter for you all! It's nice and long as another Christmas present! Can you all believe it's Christmas Eve? Sorry, I had to go into that! Anywho, this actually will be the last chapter until next year, so enjoy it! It is a longer chapter (as I've said before!) so I hope you'll like it. Rum and cookies to you all!

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**'Oh, crap. Oh, crap. Oh, crap.' I thought, looking around desperately for a place to hide. There was nothing. Absolutley nothing. The voices grew closer, as did the sound of footsteps. 'Bugger. Bugger. Bugger...' I kept thinking, still searching for somewhere to go. Still nothing. It wouldn't comprehend with my mind that no matter how many times I looked, nothing was going to appear. But I kept looking anyway. Then the footsteps stopped...down the hall. "Oh, no." I peeked into the hall. They were headed for the balcony. 'They must have found Will.' I thought, listening as well as I could for sounds. Then it dawned on me. I needed to leave. Now. If they found Will, they're going to be looking for me next. I ran down the hall as quietly as I could, glancing in each room for stairs to get to the lower level.

"Down..." I muttered to myself, on the verge of going insane. "Must...go...down..." I kept looking for stairs. Finally, in the last room I found a small staircase. I ran toward it and began the decend, the charts in the bag thumping against my back. "Door." I mumbled, beginning the search for the door. I had to get out of there!

I ran madly around, not even caring about being quiet any more. It didn't matter as long as I got out! I had to get out with the charts! We needed the charts to save Jack! I dashed into a room and finally found what I'd been looking for. The main door. I sprinted toward it, yanked the massive thing open and nearly fell to my knees. Between the doorframe and my escape stood the temple guards. With Will.

"Bugger." I mumbled, as they snatched the charts from me and tied my hands. "I guess that didn't work too well."

* * *

I could practically feel my consciousness leaving me. The water was swirling around my face, up my nose, in my mouth. I'd given up the struggle of trying to be free a long time ago. They held me down in the water far too well for me to force myself up, and it just took too much effort anymore. I didn't have enough oxygen for the effort. I felt like I'd been in the water for hours. But I'd be dead by then wouldn't I? I'd be dead...dead... 

I felt myself being jerked out of the water and into the world again. I gulped down the air as fast as I could. There just wasn't enough of it! I was terrified I'd be forced back under when I began to look around, still gasping for more air. Elizabeth and Barbossa were here.

"These are the theives. Are their faces familar to you?" Sao Feng asked. We'd been introduced briefly to him before being shoved into his torture water for information. Of course neither Will or I would tell anything. I watched Elizabeth and Barbossa both shake their heads. It was for the best, really. I understood. "Then I guess they have no further need for them." My eyes grew wide as he pulled a spike from his belt and moved it toward Will's face. I was sure I would be next. But, Elizabeth squeaked, ruining their cover. I wasn't sure whether to be annoyed, or grateful. "You come into my city and you betray my hospitality."

"Sao Feng, I assure you I had no idea..." Barbossa tried to protest.

"That they would get caught!" Sao Feng interrupted. "You intend to attempt a voyage to Davy Jones' locker. But I cannot help but wonder, why?" I swallowed a lump in my throat as Barbossa pulled his piece of eight from a pocket and threw it toward Sao Feng. I still got a little emotional at the sound of the Locker. Or Jack. Or Kraken. Or...alright there were quite a few things that got me emotional.

"The song has been sung, the time is upon us, we must convene the Brethren court. As one of the nine pirate lords you must honor the call."

"More steam." Sao Feng ordered. One of the women standing around him pulled down on a string, resulting in a clacking noise. Nothing happened. "More steam!" He ordered again, this time more ferociously. Will and I looked at each other. There was no way people would ignore this man's orders. Who was down there...? "There is a price on all our heads. It is true, it seems the only way a pirate can turn profit anymore is by betraying other pirates." I sighed. It did sound so true.

"The first Brethren court gave us rule of the seas, now that rule is being challenged by Lord Cutler Beckett." Barbossa spoke up. I grimaced at the name '_Beckett_.' I hated that man so much.

"Against the East India Trading Company what value is the Brethren court? What can any of us do?" Sao Feng asked. My mouth dropped open. The coward!

"You can fight!" I yelled, finding that Elizabeth had said the same thing at the same time. Normally I would have found that rather amusing had I not been wanting to strangle her for the past month.

"Get off me!" She pulled her shoulder away from one of the guards who were trying to hold her back. "You are Sao Feng the pirate lord of Singapore. Would you have that era come to an end on your watch? The most notorious pirates from around the world are uniting against our enemy and yet you sit here cowering in your bath water!" She yelled at him. I was almost impressed. _Almost._

"Elizabeth Swann, there is more to you than meets the eye isn't there?" The creep began to walk around Elizabeth, intently watching her. "And the eye does not go wanting." Will visibly stiffened next to me at his words.

"It's alright, Will." I tried to calm him down a little.

"But I cannot help but notice, you have failed to answer my question. What is it you seek in Davy Jones Locker?"

"Jack Sparrow." Will said next to me. I had to fight off an urge to kill the women standing around Sao Feng as they giggled at Jack's name.

"It's alright, Selesta." Will whispered beside me. I glared at him for repeating my words. I hated it when people did that. "He's one of the pirate lords." He said, a good bit louder.

"The only reason I would want Jack Sparrow returned from the land of the dead is so I could send him back myself!" Sao Feng yelled, kicking the closest thing within foot distance. It clattered to the floor. I glared at him. I'd begun to hate him, too...

"Jack Sparrow holds one of the nine pieces of eight, he failed to pass it along to a successor before he died so we must go and get him back." Barbossa challenged Sao Feng.

"So, you admit you have deceived me." Sao Feng said in another tone, while staring at another man. I looked toward the man to see his tattoo _melting _off his back. Who was he here with? "Weapons!"

"Sao Feng, I assure you, our intentions are strictly honorable!" As he spoke, swords flew up between the floorboards and into Barbossa and Elizabeth's hands. It was seriously one of the most amazing and ill-timed things I'd ever seen.

"Drop your weapons or I kill the man!" Sao feng grabbed the man with the melting tattoo and held him at blade.

"Kill him. He's not our man." Barbossa shrugged.

"If he's not with you, and he's not with us..." Will began.

"...Then who's he with?" I finished. As I spoke, the wall exploded, and tons of EITC men poured through the gap. "Oh. That's who. Crap."


	4. Chapter 4: Singapore Fight

**Happy 2008! Hope this year's a good one for you all!**

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"A little help would be nice!" I yelled while trying to break the bonds around my wrists. Everyone was moving, save for Will and myself who were standing in a bunch of water, struggling with giant wooden poles across our shoulders. Will was fighting with his, but I had no idea of what to do...

"Will!" Elizabeth yelled and threw a sword toward him. 'So nice of her to help me, too.' I groaned, but I knew I deserved it. We were still in a mutual hate stage at the moment. With good reason.

"Selesta." Will said, grabbing my attention. I turned toward him and he somehow managed to hack the ropes from around my wrists while his own were still tied.

"Here..." I grabbed the sword from him and cut his ropes as well. I handed the sword back to him and pulled my own from my pants' leg. It had felt really awkward in there, but I was glad I had hidden it before breaking into the temple. Otherwise they would have stolen it like they did Will's. "It's all wet." I groaned, shaking it off. "If it rusts, someone's gonna pay." I jumped out of the water and into the fight. I won't lie, it was rather exciting! I hadn't been in a fight like this for a while.

"Fire!" I heard behind me. I turned just in time to see the floor explode and members of the Pearl's crew jump up from the newly formed hole.

"Come on!" Barbossa yelled toward me. I followed him outside, still fighting anyone I didn't recognize. The wave of people seemed like it would never end! I felt like I'd be fighting for hours! Still, I continued to fight, struggling to keep myself moving.

"Fire!" I heard again. I turned to see EITC men standing in formation, trying again to shoot. Again they were interrupted; this time by an exploding cart. I smiled trying to figure out who would have come up with that idea. I turned around again, and got back into the fight. People were absolutely everywhere! I'd never even seen a fight this big in Tortuga, and I'd lived there for years. I worked my way through the EITC group on a brigde, pushing as many of them into the water as I could. I didn't want to kill, I just wanted to leave. Suddenly, a rocket shot past me, sparks flying everywhere. Next to me, Barbossa seized the distraction opportunity, and quickly stabbed his opponent.

"Thank you, Jack!" He smiled toward his beloved monkey. I guess it was Jack who had shot the rocket. "You have the charts?" I heard Barbossa ask. I turned around to see Will walking toward us with the charts in hand.

"And better yet..." He tossed the charts toward Barbossa "...a ship and a crew."

"Where's Sao Feng?" Elizabeth asked.

"He'll cover out escape and meet us at Shipwreck Cove."

"This way, be quick." One of the members of the new crew said, gesturing for us to follow him. "Onto the Hai Peng!" We followed him onto a Junk, quickly preparing her to sail. I'd never sailed on a Junk, though, so I wasn't much help in getting her out of the docks. Instead, I walked toward the bow to get out of the way, and found Elizabeth and Tia talking.

"There's no where left for Sao Feng to cower." Elizabeth said. "Do you think he will honor the call?"

"I cannot say. There's an evil on these seas that even the most staunch and bloodthirsty pirates have come to fear." Tia answered, looking out to the sea.

"Davy Jones." I sighed.

"Davy Jones." Tia confirmed, her voice sounding distant and cold. It was actually a little frightening. I looked over toward Elizabeth in time to see her quickly look away. I shook my head and walked away. Even if things weren't going to completely work out between Jack and I, I just wanted him back. Even if to be just a deckhand under his orders on the Pearl, I _just_ wanted him back. Things were falling apart without him here.


	5. Chapter 5: A Talk with Elizabeth

**Alrighty mates! Here be another chapter. Before ye swabs read this one, ye might want to go to me page and read Sparrow, Teague? the one-shot. Anywho, please enjoy! Also, I'm sorry it's a bit short, but I'll update soon to make it up to ye!

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"Selesta." I turned around to see Elizabeth walking toward me.

"What?" I grumbled, turning away from her to look at the thin coast of Singapore disappearing along the horizon.

"I think we need to talk." She said softly, standing next to me at the rail.

"I think we don't." I said harshly, trying to walk away.

"Selesta, please." She grabbed my arm and held me at the rail. I jerked my wrist out of her grasp and quickly whirled around to face her.

"Fine. Let's talk. About what...hm? Let's talk about how you killed the only man I could ever love. Or how I'm the only one who really knows the truth about that. Let's talk about how you broke the heart of _your_ only love. All with a kiss. Let's..."

"You saw that?" She interrupted.

"I saw it. And I'm not the only one." I glanced over at Will as he worked with the rest of the crew.

"Will?" She timidly looked toward him.

"Will."

"Oh." She looked at her feet.

"Yeah. Oh." I tried again to walk away.

"But, Selesta, please, try to understand. I had to do it!" She protested.

"What?" I stopped dead in my tracks and turned to look at her again.

"It was the only way!"

"There is never only one way, Elizabeth. You just chose the easy way and now we're all suffering for it. Especially Will."

"What do you mean?" She asked. I said nothing, but bit my lip, trying to find a way to say what I really meant. "You couldn't possibly think that I lov..."

"I did." I interrupted her. "And so does he."

"But that's insane. I love Will. You know that and so does he."

"Elizabeth don't talk to me. Go talk to him." I spun around and walked toward the crew's quarters. I needed to be alone.

"I couldn't hardly. I've already tried." She protested to my retreating back.

"Obviously not hard enough." I said, just loud enough so she'd hear it and I descended down into the quarters. Everyone else was up on deck, so other than the continuous creaks of the ship, it was completely quiet below decks. I sat down with my back against the wall and burried my face into my hands. Why couldn't things be like they used to be all those years ago on the Pearl? With Captain Sparrow, or Teague actually, my father, Lola, and Jack. I blinked back a few tears. I missed all of them so much! "I wonder where Annamaria and Lola are." I mumbled to myself, wiping away the tears on the edges of my eyes and pushing away the memories. Lola and Anna had said they'd be back in the Caribbean two months ago, but they probably decided to stay a bit longer. I couldn't blame them; if I could see my family again I'd take as much time as I wanted. "My family." I sighed. I missed them a lot, especially my father. Sometimes it was still hard to accept that he'd died before I got a chance to let him know that I was sorry about the way I'd treated him. I'd been such a brat back then. I wiped away another tear and stood up from my little place. Self-pity wasn't going to help me at all. 'I might as well go help on deck.' I thought, ascending the stairs again.

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A little more than week after we had left the ports of Singapore, as I was working on deck, I shivered. 

"That's weird." I said looking at the waters around us. I hadn't noticed it, but it did seem a lot colder than before. "Barbossa." I looked up at him as he navigated the ship. "It's colder than before. Is it supposed to be colder?"

"Aye, and it'll be gettin' a good bit colder soon." He nodded.

"How much colder?"


	6. Chapter 6: Freezing

**Well, I haven't been getting many reviews, mates, and I'm startin' to get a little worried...is it so bad that you're not likin' me story anymore? Let me know what ye think about it, please!

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I woke up the next morning and automatically noticed a difference. It was freezing down in the crew's quarters! I jumped out of my hammock and shoved on my boots for more warmth. I walked up the stairs, pulling my coat tighter around me, to the main deck and gasped once I saw where we were. We were completely surrounded by iceburgs and it was snowing! I hadn't seen snow since I was twelve years old, living in England. I would have been extremely happy to see it, if it wasn't so bloody cold!

"When you said cold, you could have warned me that you meant freezing!" I looked toward Barbossa standing on deck. He simply rolled his eyes and walked away.

"It's snowin'." I heard behind me. I turned around to see the rest of the crew appearing up on deck. I brushed the snow off my shoulders and hugged my arms around my chest. It was going to be a long, cold day...

* * *

I sat on my crate, shivering until I thought I was going to shake apart. A few hours of the snow was all I could take before I had to sit down with a blanket draped around my shoulders. After a few hours of that, I knew for sure my nose was going to fall off my face. I no longer liked snow. 

"Nobody said anything about cold." Pintel grumbled a few crates away from me. Even Jack the monkey was sitting still for the first time in his life, though I use the term 'still' rather loosely. He was shivering worse than I was.

"I'm sure there must be a good reason for our suffering." Ragetti said. I glanced over at him. He was so weird sometimes. I looked over at the rest of the crew. Elizabeth was also under a blanket, much like myself. Will was looking over the charts with the man who had lead us to the Hai Peng, who I'd learned went by the name Tai Huang.

"Why don't that obe woman just bring Jack back the same way she brought back Barbossa?" Pintel asked.

"Because Barbossa was only dead. Jack Sparrow is taken, body and soul, ta a place not of death but punishment. The worst fate a person can bring upon himself stretching on forever. That's what awaits at Davy Jones Locker." Tia scowled at the pair. I wiped my forming tear out of my eye before it got the chance to freeze there. I had no idea I would do if that happened. I guess I wouldn't be able to blink. I sighed and shook my head. The cold had reduced me to a major low in my thinking pattern...

"There, I knew there was a good reason." Ragetti looked over at Pintel. Again I returned to looking over the rest of the crew. One of the Singapore men was rubbing his bare foot to get the blood flowing again. Poor guy. He moved up to his toes and his big toe suddenly snapped off! So gross...

"Nothing here is set." I listened to Will say as I tried not to look at the man with nine toes, trying to put the tenth back on. "These can't be as accurate as modern charts."

"No. But it leads to more places." Tia Huang said. Will continued spinning the charts around, but then stopped.

"Over the edge, over again. Sunrise sets, flash of green." He read what was written on the charts. It made no sense. "What does that mean?" Will looked up at Tia Huang. He only shrugged, unable to give Will an answer. Will picked up the charts and walked toward Barbossa navegating the ship. "Care to interpret, Captain Barbossa?" Will asked, handing the charts to him. He, like myself, didn't like saying Captain; you could hear it in his voice.

"Ever gazed upon the Green Flash, Master Gibbs?" Barbossa turned his attention to Gibbs, who quickly turned around, sensing that he was about to get a chance to tell a story. He always liked that sort of thing...

"I reckon I've seen my fair share. Happens on rare occasion. At the last glimpse of sunset a green flash shoots up into the sky. Some go their whole lives without ever seeing it, some claim to have seen it who ain't and some say…"

"It signals when a soul comes back to this world from the dead!" Pintel interrupted him. Gibbs looked back at him with a dirty look, and I couldn't help but laugh a little. He hated to be interrupted!

"Trust me young Master Turner, it's not getting to the land o' the dead that's the problem." He paused for a minute to change the direction of the ship. "It's gettin' back."

"Good to know." I mumbled, and tried to stand up from my barrel. My blanket wouldn't move. I turned around and looked all around at it, only to find that my blanket was frozen to the barrel that I'd been sitting on. "Bugger."


	7. Chapter 7: We are so, so Dead!

**Another chapter! And one step closer to Jack. Very much closer. Enjoy! Extra rum and cookies to me lovely reveiwers! I luff you guys!**

**I thought it'd be nice to give you all a shout out for reviewing! First, major thanks to me good friend orlandoluvr2! Hugemongous thanks to MrsTurner007, Black Wolf-Dog, and Snuffles-sweetie! CaptainESavvy, arrabellasmith, iccy, Aquatic Cylipso, Captain Turlow, WalkingInDarkness737, and Lil' Pirate Lass!**

**I love you guys!

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After painfully prying my blanket off of the barrel that night, I trudged off to bed. It had been a long day, and I just wanted to go to sleep. The sooner the next day would come, the sooner the day will come that we can rescue Jack.

"Elizabeth." I saw her walking ahead of me, and I stopped her. She turned around and I walked closer. "Have you talked to Will, yet?"

"No." She said slowly. We turned around to look at him, standing on the deck still looking at the charts. I shook my head and continued down into the crew quarters, leaving Elizabeth behind. I still didn't like her.

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The next morning, I woke up anticipating an even colder day than yesterday. I climbed out of my hammock, walked onto deck, and breathed a huge sigh of relief. No more iceburgs, no more snow. It was still cold, but not as cold as it had been before. Thank goodness! I was the first one up, other than Barbossa, of course. 'Old habits never really leave.' I thought, getting teary eyed again. My mind wandered again back to when I was still new on the Pearl. When Jack and I would spend every day up in the crow's nest, goofing off and talking. We were always the first ones on deck in the mornings. I subconsiously reached up and grabbed my little heart necklace; the one that Jack had given me so long ago... 

_"Alright, watch yourself, and if you go in that store, don't buy anything. I don't like that man, he creeps me out."_

I smiled a little thinking about what Lola had said while I was looking into the store and where I'd seen Jack buying the very necklace that I was wearing now, the necklace I hadn't taken off for 13 years.

_"Well, that, and I wanted to give you this..." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a box. "Here..." _

_I opened it up, and inside laid none other than the silver heart. My mouth opened and a tear fell down my cheek. It was the most beautiful necklace, and Jack had given it to me. _

_"Oh, it's beautiful!" I jumped into his arms, giving him a tight hug. "Thank-you!"_

I sighed and looked around for the 'captain'. "Barbossa." I looked toward him. "About how much longer will it be before we get to the locker?"

"You can't know fer certain." He shook his head.

"Thanks." I mumbled, my heart sinking in my chest. It could take forever just to arrive, let alone get back.

* * *

Three days later, the weather was warm again. I took it as a sign that we were getting closer to Jack, but it might have been wishful thinking. The ship was drifting along in the water, hardly any wind in her sails and not a ripple to be seen in the water. It was dead calm, and I was almost scared of it. I'd never seen any water like this before. When night came, I was just as freaked out as before. You couldn't tell the difference between sky and water! The sky was perfectly clear and every star that had ever shone was shining in the sky and was being reflected off the water. It was creepy, but so beautiful at the same time. And while we driffted, no one on the ship talked. It didn't feel right to talk, not with the stillness that surrounded us. 

"How long are we to continue not talking?" I looked up from my place on deck and found Will and Elizabeth standing together for the first time in a while. I knew I shouldn't be watching, but I just couldn't help it...

"Once we rescue Jack everything will be fine." Elizabeth said as if she were trying to get out of the conversation. She probably was.

"When we resuce Jack?" Will repeated. Elizabeth opened her mouth to reply, but instead ran away from him. I sighed and shook my head. They needed to talk so badly. I watched Will's pained expression turn to surprise as he staired at the sea. I turned to look at what he had seen, but I couldn't figure out what it was.

"For what we want most there is a cost must be paid in the end." Tia said to him as he tried to make his way back to the stern of the ship. I ignored her, still trying to see the water. I hadn't talked to Tia much during the voyage, but there was just something about her that didn't seem...right. She was nice enough, but...she just didn't seem completely normal.

"Barbossa!" Will yelled while running toward the 'Captain'. Then it hit me: those were waterfalls ahead. My eyes widened and I ran after Will to the stern. "Ahead!"

"Aye. We're good and lost now." He smiled as if it were something we'd want to hear.

"Lost?" Elizabeth gasped.

"For certain you have to be lost to find a place as can't be found, elseways everyone would know where t'was." Barbossa nodded. It was crazy logic, but it almost made sense.

"We're gaining speed!" Gibbs said, looking around the ship.

"Aye." Barbossa rolled his eyes, clearly annoyed at us all.

"To stations! All hands to stations!" Will yelled, jumping into the situation. "Run a full, hard to port, gather way!"

"Quickly!" I yelled, beginning to run off and help. "We're dead." I said to myself as I glanced toward the waterfall. "So dead."

"Nay, belay that! Let her run straight a true!" Barbossa objected. The crew began to gather along the side of the ship.

"Blimey..." Ragetti said, as the waterfall came into full view. It was absolutely huge!

"You've doomed us all!" Elizabeth spat at Barbossa. I turned around to say my own choice words but stopped as he spoke. I didn't need to start anything...

"Don't be so unkind, you may not survive to pass this way again and these be the last friendly words you'll hear." He said as he smushed her face. Wierdo...

"Tie her off!" Will yelled.

"Hard to port!" I yelled, glancing over at the waterfall again. We were closer to it than ever.

"Hold on!" The ship began to tilt, falling over the edge of the falls. I reached up into the rigging and grabbed the closest rope I could find. The ship slipped complelely over the edge and I flipped around in the rigging, holding onto the ropes for dear life with my eyes squeazed shut. I vauguely felt it get warmer, brighter...and then wetter as I plunged into the salty water.


	8. Chapter 8: The Locker

**Chapta 8! Woot, woot! Hope you all like it! Rum and cookies to reveiwers! So...where did I leave you? Ah, yes...the wet. So much wet. I guess that's what happens on a ship, eh? Yeah, stupid me is going to shut-up and let you all read the story now...**

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I coughed and sputtered, the water stung my eyes and filled my nose. I'd swallowed a whole lot, too. I took a deep breath of air and opened my eyes. We weren't very far from a shore, so I began to swim around the wooden wreckage of the ship. Another shipwreck; I was getting so tired of them. What was this? Number four that I'd lived through? Ugh. It was a bright, sunny day where we were, but...where were we? I stepped into the sand and looked around. The place was completely barren and desolute. There was nothing here. 

"This truely is a god-forsaken place." Gibbs said as we all looked around. Then it hit me: we were in the locker. Davy Jones' Locker. Jack was here! My heart skipped a beat in the thought.

"I don't see Jack." Elizabeth said standing beside me. "I don't see anyone."

"He's here. Davy Jones never once gave up that what he took." Barbossa stood tall, also looking around. None of us knew what to do.

"And does it matter? We're trapped here by your doing, no different than Jack." Will glared at Barbossa. I sighed. He had a point; we were trapped here, too.

"Witty Jack is closer dan you t'ink." Tia spoke up and smiled, petting a crab in her hand. There were a lot of them, all appearing out of no where and all crawling toward Tia. Like I said, there was somthing wierd about her. I blinked myself back out of my thoughts and looked up. There was something appearing over one of the sand dunes. It was a mast. A black mast. It was the Black Pearl, and Jack was standing at the top of her. My heart skipped a beat. It was Jack!

"Impossible." Tai Huang said softly as we all staired at the ship sliding down the sand ramp. I tried to swallow, but my throat was too dry. I was starting to get nervous. The Pearl made her way toward the sea, slowly floating into the distance.

"Boat." Ragetti pointed toward the ship in complete shock.

"Slap me thrice and hand me to my momma! It's Jack!" Gibbs said, and we all ran toward the Captain as he stepped out of the long boat he'd come ashore in.

"It's the Captain!" Pintel yelled.

"A sight for sore eyes!" Gibbs added.

"Hide the rum!" Cotton's parrot squawked. I was completely silent. I didn't know what to say.

"Jack!" We all stopped standing in front of Jack, waiting for him to talk.

"Mr. Gibbs." Jack looked at his first mate.

"Aye, cap'n?"

"I thought so. I expect you're able to account for your actions then." Jack looked him squarely in the eyes.

"Sir?"

"There's been a perpetual and virilent lack of discipline upon my vessel. Why? Why is that sir?" His voice rose slightly.

"Sir, you're... you're in Davy Jones Locker, cap'n." Gibbs said. Jack stopped and stood dead still for just a moment. He quickly rocovered his composure, though.

"I know that. I know where I am. And don't think I don't!" He protested.

"Jack Sparrow." Barbossa spoke up while he stood near me.

"Ah, Hector!" Jack walked toward him and I couldn't help but smile. No one ever called Barbossa by his first name. "It's been to long, hasn't it?"

"Isla de Muerta, remember? You shot me." I did remember. It was then that I'd gotten my first kiss from Jack in years. Lately, those kisses had completely disappeared.

"No I didn't." Jack's voice brought me back. What did he say? Not even Jack would deny killing Barbossa. He's acting rather strange...

"Tia Dalma! Out and about, eh? You add an agreeable sense of macabre to any delerium." He smiled at Tia and his eyes flickered to me. "You. If I just ignore you, you'll go away just like usual. You and the memories." My heart sunk in my chest and he began to walk away from me. What was he talking about?

"He thinks we're a hallucination." Will said.

"William, tell me something. Have you come because you need my help to save a certain distressing damsel, rather, damsel in distress? Either one." He walked past me and stood in front of Will.

"No." Will answered.

"Well then you wouldn't be here would you? So you can't be here. QED, you're not really here."

"Jack. This is real, we're here." Elizabeth stepped forward in the crowd. He stopped walking and staired at her with his mouth open as if he wanted to say something. He then ran away from us and back to Gibbs.

"The Locker you say?" He asked, ignoring us all, though I had noticed that his eyes had glanced my way before he ran off.


	9. Chapter 9: Not what was Expected

**Huzzah, new chapter! Updates might be getting a bit slower, with exams bein' this week and me runnin' of already written chapters. But I promise I'm trying!

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**"Aye." Gibbs said as Jack ran back toward his trusted first mate.

"We've come to rescue you." Elizabeth stepped forward in the crowd.

"Have you now?" He asked, looking amused. "That's very kind of you. But it would seem that as I possess a ship and you don't, you're the ones in need of rescuing and I'm not sure as I'm in the mood."

"I see my ship." Barbossa smiled. "Right there." He pointed toward the Pearl and I couldn't help but roll my eyes. When was this feud going to end?!

"Can't spot it." Jack pretended to look for a ship. "Must be a tiny little thing hiding somewhere behind the Pearl." He mused, and I couldn't help but chuckle softly. I'd missed his humor immensly. He began to walk away from the group of us, though a choice few followed him. I stayed behind, just watching him. I still loved him, it couldn't be denied, and I couldn't work up the courage to talk to him. Not after everything we'd been through. Not yet, anyway.

"Jack! Cutler Beckett has the heart of Davy Jones. He controls the Flying Dutchman." Will said, as he was one of the ones who'd followed Jack.

"He's taking over the seas!" Elizabeth added. My least favorite of the people standing near Jack. She was quite brave in standing next to the very man she'd killed, though I don't mean that in an admirable sense of the word use.

"The song has already been sung, the Brethren Court is called." Tia said.

"Leave you people alone for just a minute, look what happens, everything's gone to pot!" Jack said, looking around at the group that surrounded him. I smiled a bit while I watched the scene unfolding in front of me. I'd imagined what the meeting would be like during my more quiet times on the voyage, but I'd never imagined anything like this. Not even anything remotely close to this.

"Aye, Jack. The world needs you back somethin' fierce."

"And you need a crew." Will added. Jack paused for a moment before proudly spinning on his heel to face us all.

"Why should I sail with any of you?" He asked. "Four of you have tried to kill me in the past! One of you succeeded." He said, looking toward Elizabeth. Everyone, except myself, turned to look at her in surprise. Will glanced over at me, his face seeming to say 'you were right.' I had to seriously resist the urge to smile triumphantly. "Oh. She's not told you." Jack smiled at Will's confusion. "You'll have loads to talk about while you're here." He continued walking down the line as if to make a decision about us all. "As for you..." He stopped in front of Tia.

"Now, don't tell me you didn't enjoy it at the time." She laughed, and I couldn't help but tense up a bit.

"Fair enough, all right, you're in." Jack smiled and moved down the line. I swallowed hard, I was nervous and Tia's comment didn't help my nerves a bit. There was something I'd never liked about her, and now I had an actual reson for it. "Don't need you, you scare me." He walked briskly past Ragetti and Pintel. "Gibbs, you can come, Marty, Cotton. Cotton's Parrot." He stopped in front of the man...er...bird. "I'm a little iffy, but at least I'll have someone to talk to." Then he was standing in front of me, seeming as if at a lost for words. "Selesta..." He finally managed. How I managed to look at his face without crying, I'll never know. "You can come." He hurridly walked off. And that was the end of our confrontation. I suppose while I imagined it on the journey, sometimes I would see Jack and I forgeting everything and being just like old time again. Carefree and in love. I should have known they were only day dreams, but I still had hoped there was a chance. But it didn't happen, so that's the end of that. I guess despite what I'd believed only a few months ago, Jack and I just weren't meant to be. "Who're you?" I turned to see Jack standing face to face with the crew from Singapore.

"Tai Huang. These are my men." He answered briskly.

"Where do your allegiances lie?" Jack asked.

"With the highest bidder."

"I have a ship." Jack said hopefully, looking toward his precious ship gracefully floating out in the distance.

"That makes you the highest bidder." Tia Huang nodded and smiled slightly.

"Good man." Jack said, happy in his gain. "Weigh anchor, all hands, prepare to make sail!" I watched him open his compass and look down at it. He glanced up at the Pearl, all around in circles, and then at _me._ And then once again in circles. Where was his compass pointing?

"Jack." Barbossa smiled, holding the charts grandly. "Which way ye goin', Jack?" Jack himself only grimaced and slammed his compass shut. He was unhappy...unhappy that we didn't get leave Barbossa and the monkey behind, probably. We weren't going to get to leave Elizabeth in the locker either, so I too wasn't happy. This adventure just wasn't what I'd thought it was going to be and it just kept getting worse. Little did I know, a bad situation tends to get _even worse_ before it improves...


	10. Chapter 10: Captain Issues

**Thanks mucho much to my reviewers! You guys rock!

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**Jack stood staring at Barbossa for awhile before he suddenly made a move toward the little boat sitting on the shore. He climbed inside, sat down, and looked at all of us. 

"Are ye comming or not?" He asked, raising an eyebrow. I looked around at everyone standing on shore. Barbossa looked pleased, though there was something bothering me. I swallowed hard and finally spoke.

"I don't think we're all going to fit in the boat."

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After what seemed like millions of trips with the boat going from shore to ship, then from ship to shore; then from shore to ship, and then back to the shore, and then back to the ship...everyone finally was on board the Pearl. Jack and I had been in the first boat, along with Gibbs, Marty, Cotton, and Pintel and Ragetti. Jack chose who was in the first boat, and I'm pretty sure he chose who he liked most. Well, that and the fact that none of us had tried to kill him. Well, Gibbs, Marty, Cotton, and I had never tried to kill him. I think he just chose Pintel and Ragetti so he wouldn't have to row. Anyway, we were in the first boat and as soon as our feet hit the deck of the Pearl, Jack began to give us orders to get the ship ready to sail, just as any captain would. Pintel and Ragetti were put back in the boat to row the boat to shore to pick up more of the crew. As soon as the boat returned, though, Barbossa climbed aboard. That's when the trouble started. They were both on a ship where they both believed they were captain, and it wasn't working too well so far. So, when the the entire crew was finally aboard the Pearl, they started at it again, both giving the orders. 

"Trim that sail!" Barbossa yelled as we had begun to cast off.

"Trim that sail!" Jack also yelled. I sighed. This was going to be one heck of a long trip.

"Slack windward brace and sheet!" Barbossa ordered.

"Slack windward brace and sheet!" Jack repeated.

"Haul a pennant line!" Barbossa yelled.

Haul a pennant line!" Jack copied, and this time Barbossa spun around, them both standing face to face. I knew I should be working, but this was far more interesting than any work that could be done...

"_What_ are ye doin'?" Barbossa asked Jack as he rolled his eyes.

"What are _you_ doing?" Jack repeated. It was almost like one of those old child games everyone used to play. The ones where you'd repeat what everyone said until they got to the point of planning a murder...

"No! What arrre ye doin'?"

"What are **_you _**doing?"

"No! What arrrrrrre ye doin'?!"

"What are **_you _**doing?! Captain gives orders on a ship." Jack finally broke the chain of repeats.

"The captain of this ship is givin' orders." Barbossa growled.

"My ship. Makes me captain." Jack quickly said, standing up slightly taller than before.

"Aye, but they be my charts!" Barbossa held up the Navegational Charts.

"Well, that makes you..." Jack paused briefly to think. "...Chart Man!" And I couldn't help but burst out laughing! Only Jack would think of something like that to say. I'd missed him so much more than I'd realized.

"Stow it, both of you! That's an order, understand?!" Pintel appeared out of nowhere and began to yell at both of them. Everyone just stared at him, instead. Was he serious? "Sorry." He appologized quickly. "I just thought, with the captain issuing out I'd throw in my name for consideration. Sorry!" I rolled my eyes and watched Jack and Barbossa struggling to be the first one up the stairs and onto the poop. I shook my head and sighed. This really was like a child's game, though this one probably _would_ end in murder..._again_. Barbossa reached into his coat and pulled out his eyeglass. Jack smiled smuggly and pulled out his own. I couldn't help but giggle a little as he opened it up and found that it was much smaller than he'd remembered. And much, much smaller than Barbossa's. As he walked to the other side of the deck in defeat, and idea came to my mind.

"Jack?" I slowly approched him.

"Aye?" He asked carefully. Both of us were still slightly awkward in each other's presence.

"There used to be a much bigger eyeglass down in the Pearl's hold. From an old raid, I think. I always thought it was junk, so I just left alone when I stumbled across it..." He looked over at me and raised an eyebrow with a slight smile on his face.

"Where?"


	11. Chapter 11: In the Hold

**And another one! Woot! MrsTurner007, I do appologize heartily in advance, as I know you will not like this chapter. Everyone else, enjoy!

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**I smiled a little as I walked around in the hold where I'd seen the huge eyeglass a few months ago. We were raiding an EITC ship (my favorite type to plunder) and after the job was done, I was rummaging through some of the loot when I found it. I had thought it was rediculously huge and worthless, as it was almost impossible to use because of it's size. I did keep it down in the hold, though, thinking it might get me a pretty penny in Tortuga. I never got the chance to sell it though, because about a month later I was put off in Port Royal thinking that I was pregnant. I shuddered thinking about everything that had happened since then. Life was cruel.

I continued on my way through the darkness, looking for the crate that the eyeglass was in when I heard voices. I looked over the pile of cargo that I was standing at and I saw Will and Elizabeth.

"So, Selesta was telling the truth the entire time. You left Jack to the Kraken." Will said as Elizabeth sat on the steps leading toward the deck. She wasn't there when I'd taken those steps a few minutes ago. Neither was Will. But now they were, and I was trapped.

"He's rescued now, it's done with." She said quickly, and even though I knew I shouldn't be listening, I listened anyway. It's not like there was anywhere I could go to give them privacy anyway. "Will, I had no choice!"

"You chose not to tell me."

"I chose not to tell anyone, not just you." She stood up and looked at him with pleading eyes.

"How did Selesta know, then?" He asked. I ducked down lower behind the cargo, not wanting to be seen. Its one thing to hear a converstaion not meant for your ears. Its another thing to hear a converstation _about_ you, not meant for your ears.

"I don't know how she knew. But I hadn't told her." Elizabeth stepped closer to him. "Will, It wasn't your burden to bear."

"But I did bear it, didn't I? I just didn't know what it was. I thought..."

"You thought I loved him." Elizabeth said, obviously recalling the conversation I'd had with her. She quicky tried to turn and run up the stairs, but Will grabbed her and held her against a wall.

"If you make your choices alone, how can I trust you?" I heard his voice saying, though barely above whisper level.

"You can't." Elizabeth said struggling to keep her tears from falling. She broke free from his grasp and ran up the stairs. Will waited down in the hold for a few more minutes before turning and walking up onto the deck as well. I sighed and came out from my hiding place. I guess they had finally had that talk that I'd wanted them to have. I couldn't make up my mind whether to keep searching for the eyeglass or go talk to Elizabeth. I groaned and walked toward the stairs, hating my conscience all the way. I knew I needed to talk to her...

* * *

"Elizabeth?" I mumbled upon seeing her on deck. She was standing at the starboard railing, sniffling back tears. 

"What?" She snapped after looking to see who it was.

"I uh...I didn't actually know for sure that you had killed him." I began to talk. Quickly, that way I'd get it over with. "I blamed it on you, because I needed to blame it on someone. I couldn't accept it. And then in the boat with how you reacted to my blaming, I figured it out...that you did actually kill him."

"Why are you telling me this?" She wiped a tear off her face with her sleeve.

"I...I heard you and Will down in the hold talking. Actually, I was down in the hold. I was looking for an eyeglass...don't ask." I mumbled.

"Oh." She said. We stood silently for a while before she turned to look at me again. "Selesta, I really am sorry. I didn't think about it much, I really thought I had no choice. Please, please forgive me." She practically begged. I sighed and thought about what it was like when she was still Elizabeth, my best friend.

Maybe I was desperate to talk to someone again, maybe I was mad, or maybe I deep down wanted to forgive her. Which ever it was, it possessed me and forced me to say "Alright." And give her a small smile. She smiled back and pulled me into a hug. All was forgiven.


	12. Chapter 12: Little Boats of Death

**And we all know this is going to be a sad chapter, but I made it extra sad. So on that note, enjoy! But it is a long one, so I guess that makes up for the sad. (Though, not really.)

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**"I still wonder what we're going to do when we get back, though." I said, sitting on a barrel, talking to Elizabeth. It was dark now, and there was no wind. Ergo, there was no work to be done, and Elizabeth and I were free to talk and make up. "There are so many problems we still have to face."

"That is, if we ever get back." Elizabeth sighed and looked out to the sea. "What's that?" She asked, pointing. I turned around and my eyes opened wider.

"Boats." I murmered, still gazing at them intently.

"They're not a threat to us, am I right?" Will asked appearing next to us. The entire crew was gazing in wonder now.

"We are nothing but ghosts to them." Tia answered him looking out over the rail. The group of them seemed to go on for miles. It probably did.

"It's best just let them be." Gibbs said, watching them closely. We all stood watching in silence as the boats passed by us, the people inside staring ahead, paying no head to any of us. It was so sad, knowing that they were all in the land of the dead, headed for who knows where...there were women and children, even a set of twins, young girls, that passed by us. Then suddenly, a face that we all recognized.

"It's my father, we've made it back! Father, Father here, look here!" Elizabeth smiled happily upon seeing her father. Had we actually made it back?

"Elizabeth." Jack's voice sounded behind me. I turned around to see him looking with concern toward Elizabeth. "We're not back." I knew what it meant. Governor Swann was...dead. It took longer to sink in on Elizabeth, but as it did, the smile quickly dropped from her face.

"Father!" She yelled. He slowly turned his head toward the ship, finally seeing us.

"Elizabeth!" He saw his daughter. "Are you dead?"

"No, no." She shook her head.

"I think I am." He said, his face expressionless. I swallowed, remembering how hard it was when my own father died. Like I'd said, the trip just kept getting worse.

"No! You can't be!" Elizabeth protested.

"There was this chest, you see, this heart. At the time it seemed so important." Governor Swann shook his head.

"Come aboard!" Elizabeth yelled. I watched her as I stood motionless in my place. This wasn't going to end well.

"And the heart, I learnt that if you stab the heart, yours must take its place and you will sail the seas for eternity." The governor continued talking, ignoring Elizabeth's protests. I couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at what he had said, though. That was a valuable bit of information. "The Dutchman must have a captain. Silly thing to die for."

"Someone cast a line! Come back with us!" Elizabeth yelled desperately. She ended up getting the line herself, and she threw it to her father. "Take the line!"

"I'm so proud of you Elizabeth." Governor Swann said, his boat beginning to gain some distance between us.

"Father, father, the line! Take the line!" She yelled even louder as the line fell into the water. She began to run toward the stern.

"She must not leave da ship!" Tia yelled and we all began to run after her. Will grabbed her and pulled her away from the railing.

"Father! Please come with us! Please! I won't leave you!" She cried desperately, determined to save him.

"I'll give your love to your mother shall I?" He turned and looked ahead of himself once more.

"Please I won't let you die!" She yelled as Will pulled her into his arms. She cried into his chest as he looked up at Tia.

"Is there a way?" He asked. Tia, much to everyone's chagrin, shook her head.

"Him at peace." My heart dropped in my chest as Elizabeth continued to cry. I felt unneeded and useless watching her cling to Will, so I walked to the other side of the ship, and almost lost my own composure. Down in another boat in the water sat Lola and Anamaria, still and unmoving, facing forward. They were dead.

"L-Lola?" I managed to stammer out. She turned slowly to look at me, much like Governor Swann had done. "What are you doing here?"

"We're...we're dead." She answered simply.

"How?" I breathed, still in shock.

"We were discovered as pirates...when we went to England. We tried to get away by bartering a passage to the Caribbean with another ship..." Anamaria began.

"It was a pirate ship." Lola finished. "We didn't even get out of the bay before they sunk the ship and we all drowned."

"But...you can't..." I began, trying not to cry.

"Good-bye Selesta." Lola smiled softly. "You and Jack be good. No more makin' out on deck, alright?" She turned again to look ahead, and I collapsed onto my knees with tears pouring down my cheeks for so many reasons. She didn't know about anything that had happened. Not about Jack and I losing our relationship, not about Beckett, not about anything...and now she was dead. This trip really did keep getting worse and worse.

"What's wrong?" I heard behind me. I turned to see Jack.

"Lola and Anamaria..." I swallowed down the sob that I felt forming in my throat. "...they're dead."

"Dead?" He repeated, looking out over the rail. "They really are..." His voice trailed off, as I cried sitting on the deck of the Pearl. Even worse, I had no one to confort me as Elizabeth did, and that made me cry even harder...

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**I felt bad about Anamaria just being left out of the second and third movie, so I gave her story an ending. Lola, too.**


	13. Chapter 13: No Water

**A short one, I appologize. But I'll update again quickly to make it up to ya!

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**"Elizabeth?" I walked up toward her as she sat in the comfort of Will's strong arms.

"Yes?" She wiped her eyes and looked up at me.

"It's getting late. I wanted to know if you'd rather share my cabin with me or sleep with the crew. There's two beds in me cabin..." I wiped my eyes, still slightly teary from Lola and Anamaria's deaths. My old cabin...it was Lola's cabin, too...

"That'd be great." She sniffled standing up from the steps that she and Will were sitting on.

"Good-night." Will said.

"Good-night." Elizabeth whispered, following me to my cabin. I followed the old familiar passage way to my door and stepped inside. It was just like I'd remembered it, though there was a depressing air hanging about inside tonight.

"Welcome to my humble abode." I mumbled, sitting down on my bed. The wonderful thing had been with me for for months during my time on the Pearl before she'd sunk (the first time) and about a year after Jack and I escaped Port Royal together. I'd hated not having it when I was in that dreadful city of the King. A big fluffy bed? No thanks, I'd seriously rather have my paper thin matress. And it was the total truth. I'd not been able to sleep at all in those beds in port.

"Why have you been crying?" Elizabeth asked quietly, sitting down on Lola's old bed. Also paper thin. She probably didn't like it quite as much as myself, though.

"I found an old friend, two friends, in the boats tonight." I struggled to keep my composure.

"Who?" She asked.

"Lola Saldana. And Anamaria Saldana. Sisters." I said, unable to put together complete sentances. I was tired, depressed, every emotion that I could feel had passed within a 24 hour period, and I couldn't take much more of it.

"Anamaria..." She paused. "Her name sounds familiar."

"It should." I nodded, lieing down and curling up under my covers. "You met her during our first big adventure with Jack."

"Oh, yeah." The room fell silent. "I think I'm just going to sleep..." Her voice finally came, choked up with emotion.

"Elizabeth, are you alright?" I asked stupidly. Of course she wasn't alright.

"No. My father's dead." She began to cry again. "I'm sorry I keep going on." She said between sobs. "It's just so hard."

"I know how you feel." I said, letting a tear of my own fall down my cheek as I got out of my bed and sat next to her. "I didn't even get to say goodbye when my father died. And worst of all, he never knew that I really did love him." I cried. "I'd kill for a second chance. Just to talk to him."

* * *

We didn't sleep much that night, all in all, we cried more than anything and it's a wonder the cabin didn't fill up with tears and drown us. Still, we finally managed to get a little sleep before draging ourselves up to face the world again. I was dreading it more than anything. And then, as if things weren't bad enough, as we walked down to the galley for breakfast, things got worse. 

"I'm sorry, ladies." Gibbs said, as he was the only one in the room at the time. "No breakfast. No lunch, either. Or supper."

"Why?" I asked.

"The water kegs sprung a leak. There's none left. We can't cook a thing."

"You're bloody kidding me." I groaned.

"I'm sorry, Selesta." Gibbs shook his head. "Ain't no water to be found, 'cept what's surrounding us." And with that he left us alone. I sighed and sat down at the nearest table and began to bang my head down onto the wood.

"I." _bang._ "Hate." _bang._ "My." _bang._ "Life." _bang._


	14. Chapter 14: Becoming Barbossa

**Okay, so this chapter is inspired by arrabellasmith, and even though she doesn't know that she helped write this chapter, I appreciate the help! Thanks, mate! So...uh...I'll stop talking...er...writing, that is...and let you all read! (Thanks again, arrabella! I dedicate this chapter to ye!) Personally, I love this chapter. A lot. So, enjoy, me mates!****

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**Everyone on the Pearl was sitting around doing nothing. Everyone was too tired and thirsty to do any sort of work, and even if they wanted to, there would be no work to be done. We were caught in the doldrums and were hopelessly drifting through the water at an amazingly slow speed.

I worked my mouth to create as much saliva as I could. There was nothing to drink and I was so, so thirsty. Hungry, too; I hadn't had breakfast. I sighed and stood up from my seat on the steps of the Pearl. I might as well be searching for something to eat rather than doing nothing. An apple would be nice...then the juice would solve my thirst and the fruit part would solve my hunger! Aha! I walked briskly toward the galley, proud of my new accomplishment. Man, the events were starting to get to my head. Hardly anyone to talk to, hunger and thirst, and the depression of absolutely _everything_ that had happened was about to drive me off the cliff of sanity and into the bay of madness; that is of course, if I wasn't already there. I probably was. Turning into the galley, I ran toward the apple barrel and grabbed the biggest of the fruit that I could find. I sunk my teeth into the side of the glorious, wonderful golden apple and sighed happily. I loved Barbossa at this moment, just because he refused to sail without apples. Smart man...

"Did ye ever find that spyglass?" I heard behind me. I turned around to see Jack walking toward me. Needless to say, I quickly wiped all of the apple dribble juice from my face.

"Eyeglass you mean?" I asked.

"They're actually called spyglasses." He sat onto the table next to me.

"They're the same thing." I smiled.

"Not really. Now, a telescope would be the same thing..."

"No, no. A telescope is what you use to look at the stars with." I cut him off.

"Fine. Spyglass then." He smiled.

"Well, to answer your original question, no I haven't found the _spyglass_ yet, but I'm going to look as soon as I finish my apple."

"Yer not goin' to turn into Barbossa now are ye?" He raised an eyebrow as I bit into the apple agian.

"Now that you mention it, I was hoping we could sail over toward Africa so I could get myself a monkey..." I joked, rather surprised we had been talking (and not screaming) with each other this long. I have to admit, I started to get rather hopeful.

"Whatever you say, Hector." He chuckled and I took another bite of my apple, but the sound of my eating was the now only sound in the galley. My hopes had been hollow. The talking had stopped, and we were now sitting in an awkward silence. "I, uh..." He stopped, opened his mouth again to speak, and then shut his mouth, as if he had changed his mind. "I had better get back to the helm." He finished flatly.

"Yeah." I replied, a bit disappointed. Maybe I was hoping that he'd...never mind. He stood up, rather hesitantly, and after looking at me for a long time walked slowly out of the room. After he was gone, I banged my head on the table again and sighed. My stupid hopes were breaking my heart.

* * *

"There's still no wind, is there?" I sat down next to Elizabeth on the steps to the poop. 

"No." She mumbled. She was still extremely upset, but who could blame her? Her father had just died. Unfortunately, now I had started to think about Lola and Annamaria's passing, and I wasn't in such a great mood either. I burried my head into my hand and groaned.

"When are we going to get out of here?" I looked up from my place on the deck. Ragetti was chasing the monkey trying to get his eye back, Jack was looking over the charts...wait. Was he talking to himself? He was! He was talking to himself...

"Up!" He yelled running to the side of the ship. "What's that?!" I stood up and walked quickly to the side of the ship where he was. What was he looking at?


	15. Chapter 15: Rock the Boat, Baby!

**Well, here be the chapter that I'm pretty sure a lot of you have been waiting for. Up is Down! I put a little spin on it, though, because I don't want it to seem like the exact same scene with just another charachter thrown in. I hope you all like it, because I had lots of fun writing it!**

**I do have to admit, though, that this (you're going to kill me) might be the last one for just a little while. A few days to a week at most. Things are a little hectic around here at the moment, but I'll try to write and update as quickly as I can...

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**"What _is_ that?" Jack repeated, looking intently over the edge of the ship. I looked over the rail, standing next to him and tried to find what he was looking at. I only saw water, and it grew completely uninteresting very, very quickly. "I don't know. What do you think?" He asked looking toward his left. No one was standing there…was he talking to himself again?

"Where?" Gibbs asked, also looking around. We were all completely confused!

"There!" Jack answered, as if it were obvious where to look. Suddenly, he jumped and turned around, letting out a yelp of surprise. He then proceeded to run to the other side of the ship! We all ran after him, our curiosity taking control of our movements.

"What are we looking for?" I asked, still looking around everywhere. Maybe there was something down in the water that we weren't seeing…

"Ooh, ah, oo, uh, pfft, bprrr…" Jack made a variety of noises, the last of which sounded like the cross between a dying horse and a pig. He then turned and ran back to the _other_ side! What was he doing?! We still followed him though, and I'm sure I wasn't the only one thinking that he was going more than slightly mad. "Whoohoha!" He shouted, turning around again, and running back to the other side. I couldn't believe I was still following his mad scampering, but my curiosity was _killing_ me!

"What is it?" Elizabeth finally stood up from her seat on the steps and joined us at the rail. I was sure that everyone, other than the people below decks, was running now. Jack had us all confused.

"Uh…reelaadoolll!" He sang, running in the other direction. With all of us running, we had started to shake the ship...and then it hit me. I smiled and ran just a bit faster. Jack wasn't mad...he was a genious! We were getting out of this.

"He's rockin' the ship." Pintel complained, as we ran past him.

"We're rockin' the ship!" Gibbs yelled, finally catching on. We all knew now, and we all ran as fast as we could, back and forth between the railings. Starboard, port, starboard, port, starboard, port…back and forth we went, rocking the ship as much as we could, as fast as we could. We only had until sunset to flip the ship, and the colors of the evening were proudly beginning to streaking through the sky.

"Time it with the swell!" Barbossa yelled, disappearing into the hold. Things had begun to slide around on the deck of the Pearl, and every once and a while, you were forced to jump over things. We still ran, though, as fast as we could, each sprint growing harder than the last because of the increasing slant of the deck. Back and forth we went in a seemingly endless pattern of running. It was _extremely_ hard now, the slant of the deck seemed almost straight up, and we were forced to grab the rail each time we reached it to keep from being tossed into the sea. We turned and ran again, though this time, one of the crew slipped on the deck and fell with a splash into the sea. I pushed it out of my mind that that could be me at any moment. Again, we turned and ran.

"Bugger." I muttered as I saw a barrel rolling toward me. I tried to jump it and continue running, but It was bigger than I'd given it credit for. I managed to trip and fall, my fingers barely able to grasp the slick wooden rail. There was no turning back, though; this was it. The ship was finally flipping, and I was going to fall and be lost in these waters forever. I shook the morbid thoughts from my mind and I struggled for a better grasp on the rail. As the Pearl turned on her side, our feet completely left the deck and dangled in the air, and I could feel myself slipping from the rail. It was then that I heard the screams of another who had fallen. I managed to glance toward him, just in time to see a cannon heading straight for him. I turned back, as to not see his painful death. Was that was to be my fate as well?

As the thought formed in my mind, it happened. With a shriek of my own, my fingers slipped from their loose grasp...and I fell.


	16. Chapter 16: Falling

**Actually, things have gotten a whole lot better around here, a whole lot faster than I'd imagined. And, I felt bad about making you all wait much longer after a cliffie like that. So...here be the next chapter mates. Hope ye like it!

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**I screamed and shut my eyes as the falling sensation overtook me. Then, suddenly, it stopped as I felt an iron grasp around my wrist. I opened my eyes again to see Jack, stuggling with one hand on the rail and the other keeping me from dying a watery death. I tried to reach up with my other hand to grab the rail again, but it was too far away. 

"Hold on. Wait 'til she flips." Jack yelled down to me, seeing what I was trying to do. I felt the water rise up over my feet, my waist, and then the rest of my body. With one last breath, we were all completely submerged. With the water now encompassing us Jack was able to pull me up to the rail. I grabbed it and looked around at everyone. We were all dangling in the water, waiting impatiently for the sunset. Cargo was sinking all around us from the hold, though one small that floated next to me caught my eye. It was the box that the spyglass was in. I reached out, grabbed it, and pulled it toward myself. Now we just had to wait. I closed my eyes as a dull ache in my lungs started. I needed air. This was all too much like Sao Feng's torture for my liking. Suddenly, I heard a noise. I opened my eyes, expecting to see a shark swimming toward us, excited to find dinner. Instead, I saw...well, water. It seemed like it was rushing toward us but at the same time away from us. Then, before we knew what was truely happening, we were coughing up water on the deck of the Pearl, taking deep breaths of the air. I glanced around the deck...we were all here; we were alive! I almost laughed as Pintel and Ragetti caught my eye while I looked around the deck. They were tied upside down to the mainmast. I didn't really want to know why they were like that, or even how they'd managed to do it. However, my heart skipped a beat when I saw Jack on the deck, trying to shake water out of his hair. He'd saved my life...

"Blessed sweet westerlies!" Gibbs said as we all began to stand up. "We're back!"

"It's a sunrise." Elizabeth mused, and we all looked to see that the sunset of the world of the dead had changed into the sunrise of where we belonged. We were home. Our blissful moment was cut short as Jack, Will, Elizabeth, and Barbossa all pulled out their pistols and pointed them at each other. I quickly followed suit, pointing my own pistol at Barbossa. It wouldn't be right to shoot any of the others. We looked around at each other, our pistols all cocked and pointed, and we started to laugh. It really was a rather humerous moment to see each other react so quickly and violently.

"Alright then!" Barbossa said, and the pistols all flew up again. Humerous or not, tempers were high at the moment. "The Brethren Court is a'gatherin' at Shipwreck Cove, and Jack, you and I are a'goin and there'll be no arguing th' point."

"I is arguin' the point." Jack protested. "If there's pirates a'gathering, I'm pointing my ship the other way." I was a little suprised at his saying this. I knew he was a Pirate Lord, and I knew he needed to be there. I would have thought he'd have enough since of propriety to go. Elizabeth turned both of her pistols at him, and as much as it pained me to do so, I kept my pistol pointed at Barbossa. I couldn't shoot Elizabeth even if I'd wanted to.

"The pirates are gathering to fight Beckett and you're a pirate." She spat at him. He pointed both of his pistols towar her as well. Will reacted by pointing both of his pistols at Jack.

"Fight or not, you're not running Jack." Will said. Jack turned one of his pistols back toward Will, going back to his original position. I was starting to get nervous...I wasn't liking how this was going.

"If we don't stand together, they'll hunt us down one by one until there be none left but you." Barbossa argued.

"I quite like the sound of that." Jack smiled. "Captain Jack Sparrow...the last pirate."

"Aye, and you'll be fighting Jones alone, now how does that feel into your plan?" Barbossa took a step toward Jack, his pistol aimed toward Jack's gut. I took a step toward Barbossa, my pistol pointed toward him, and in response, got his other pistol pointed toward me. What goes around, comes around, I suppose.

"I'm still working on that." Jack defended himself quickly. "But I will not be going back to the locker, mate. Count on that." He raised his pistol toward Barbossa and pulled the trigger. Instead of firing, his pistol only clicked. I fired my own, finding that it did the same. None of the pistols worked.

"Wet powder." Gibbs said, almost sounding disappointed. Will, Elizabeth, and Barbossa all began to walk away, while Jack smiled slightly. I jammed my pistol back in its spot and began to walk away.

"Wait!" Pintel yelled. I looked up at him, standing on deck. How did they get untied? "We can still use 'em as clubs!" He yelled. I rolled my eyes and then realized I was still holding the box with the spyglass in it. I quickly pried it open and tossed the little wooden box aside.

"Jack." I walked toward him. He spun around and I held up the spyglass for him to see. "Thanks for saving me." I smiled slightly. He took the spyglass from my hands and smiled back.

"Thanks for the glass." He nodded. "Now we're even."


	17. Chapter 17: The Kraken?

**Gracias, Merci, Go Raibh Maith Agat, Danke, Grazie, Obrigado, and last but not least...THANK YOU...for the reviews!

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**I have to admit that I was less than thrilled with Jack's response to my finding the spyglass. 'We're even?' Ugh. It wasn't what I'd wanted to hear, especially after he'd saved my life. Still, I wasn't going to let it ruin my day; there would be plenty that we had to deal with that could do that easily. Like the fact that we still needed to find water...

"Someone go fetch the charts!" Barbossa yelled, still thinking that he was captain. One of the Singapore men ran below to get the charts, and reappeared quickly. Will snatched the charts away from him and unrolled them on top of a barrel. We all gathered around it, anxious to see where we were.

"There's a freshwater spring on this island." Will pointed toward a bit of land on the charts. "We can resupply there, and get back to shooting each other later."

"You lead the shore party." Jack said, looking up at Barbossa from the other side of the barrel. "I'll stay with my ship."

"I'll not be leaving my ship in your command." Barbossa protested. Was this fight _ever_ going to end?!

"Why don't you both go ashore and leave the ship in _my_ command." Will looked up at both of them from his seat behind the charts. "Temporarily." He added after he noticed us all staring at him with surprise.

"Aye. Fair enough." Barbossa nodded and walked toward the starboard side of the ship. He pulled out his spyglass and looked through it, trying to spot land. Jack smiled toward me and then proceeded to pull out his new, much bigger spyglass. He purposely stood next to Barbossa and held up his glass. With another smile to me, he looked through it, almost seeming as though he were struggling to hold it up. It was even bigger than I had remembered! I watched Barbossa turn toward Jack, a smirk on his face. He was more amused than anything else...

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"Is it me, or does it smell like rotten meat around here?" I looked around at the group of us sitting in the jolly boat. We had found the nearby island, the one with the freshwater, and were rowing ashore. Not everyone had gone, but it was just one of those things, I guess. I needed to get off the ship for a little while. Needless to say, after I spoke, everyone in the boat took to sniffing the air. 

"Aye." Jack's eyebrows knitted together. "It does." We continued rowing toward the shore, and with each stroke of the oars, the smell seemed to get worse. What the heck was on the island making it smell so bad? We finally reached the island and pulled the boats onto the shore.

"Mind the boat." Cotton's parrot squawked. The crew busied themselves themselves with minding the boats, and preparing the casks for the water, except Pintel and Ragetti. They, like always, had a slight mishap while in their boat, but all was well. Until of course we saw where the smell was comming from. It was the Kraken, and it was _dead_. It wasn't too long until everyone else spotted it, though it wasn't too hard to spot. I had know the thing was huge, but...it still amazed me as I looked at it.

"Crimineny." I heard Pintel saying behind me as I began to walk toward the dead beast. I wasn't the only one. While walking, I glanced behind myself and saw Jack, Barbossa, and Pintel and Ragetti walking toward the decaying carcass as well.

"Odsbodkins." Ragetti breathed. It was a sight to behold. Jack was standing closer to me know, staring directly at the leviathan. The expression on his face was completely unreadable...I'd never seen him look like that. He was staring at what had been his death. Now it was dead, and he was alive. "Careful, Careful!" Ragetti's voice pulled me away from looking at Jack. I sighed and rolled my eyes. Pintel had found a giant stick, and was poking the body with it.

"Stupid fish!" He threw down his stick and climbed on top of the beast.

"Actually it's a cephalopod." Ragetti corrected him. I looked back toward Jack and tried to block out their rambling...he still had his eyes fixed on the Kraken.

"Serves you right!" I looked into the eye of the giant creature.

"I bet people would pay a shilling to see this, and another shilling for a sketch of them sitting on top." An amber brown ring circling a black abyss. Pure death shone in its stillness. They had been the last thing Jack had seen before he had died. Now he was looking at himself in the eye. I was looking at _myself_ in the eye.

"Pintel and Ragetti - Kraken slayers!" What had those eyes last seen before the end?

"Still thinking of running, Jack?" I could now see Barbossa's reflection in the eye. Three of us who had seen enough death in our own time, and two who had even experienced it, now looking into the eyes of death itself. "Think you can outrun the world? You know the problem with being the last of anything, and by and by there'd be none left at all."

"Sometimes things come back mate. We're living proof you and me." Jack pointed to the two of them.

"Aye, but that's a gamble of long odds, ain't it? There's never a guarantee of coming back, but passing on, that's dead certain." Barbossa nodded. I finally tore my eyes away from the leviathan and turned to look at the two of them. They were, for possibly the first time since our old days on the Pearl, not fighting.

"Summoning the Brethren Court then is it?" Jack asked sadly.

"It's our only hope, lad." Barbossa nodded.

"That's a sad commentary even of itself." Jack grimaced.

"The world used to be a bigger place."

"The world's still the same, there's just less in it." Jack said, and I couldn't help but think about how true that was...


	18. Chapter 18: We've Got Company!

**Aaaand...not much to say, so I'll just say that I hope you all enjoy the chapter!

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**"Come on, then." Barbossa said, beginning to walk away from the Kraken. "We need to look for water." 

"Aye." Jack mumbled. With one last glance into the eye of the beast, I turned and followed them into the dense forests of the island. It was amazing at how quickly landscapes could change. We stumbled through the trees, listening for the sound of water. We walked and walked...and then heard the beautiful, wonderful sound of water. I could practically feel it running down my throat already. Finally, we all came to the pool and gathered around the edge. But we didn't see what we wanted to see. Instead there was a body floating in the water. Barbossa stooped down and dipped his finger into the water. He brought it back to his mouth, but quickly spat.

"Poisened...fouled by the body." He shook his head. I couldn't tell which I was more upset about...the fact that we weren't getting water, or the fact that the murderer was probably still around. And then, of course there was the question of where the body came from...

"Hey, I know 'im." We all watched Pintel as he flipped the body over. "'E was in Singapore."

"Singapore!" Cotton's parrot squawked.

"Captain!" Marty pointed toward the beach. We all followed his finger to see Ragetti jumping up and down and waving his arms.

"Oi! We've got company!" He pointed toward the ocean. Again, we followed his finger out to the sea and saw a Junk ship...from Singapore. Suddenly, all of the Singapore crew pulled out their weapons and pointed them at us. The mutinous bilge rats. No wonder Sao Feng had sent them with us. He must have been planning this from the start.

"He's the captain." Jack pointed toward Barbossa. I rolled my eyes and glared at the pirate with a gun to my back. And I had thought things were going _so_ well already...

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Shouts and cheers rung up from the ship as we were forced to climb aboard; however, there were no cheers on our side. We were trapped by someone we'd thought of as our own ally. We weren't happy, and Jack...well, Jack just looked terrified. What had he done to Sao Feng, anyway? 

"Sao Feng. You showing up here 'tis truly a remarkable coincidence." Barbossa tried to start talking, probably trying to talk his way out of trouble...and leave the rest of us in it. Sao Feng looked toward Barbossa, but quickly changed where his eyes were positioned. A slight smile formed on his face.

"Jack Sparrow." He began to walk toward Jack who had been trying to hide behind Barbossa. "You paid me great insult once."

"That doesn't sound like me." Jack stepped out from his hiding place. Sao Feng only grimaced and quickly slammed his fist into Jack's face. I, along with the rest of the crew, gasped. Jack was bent over in pain, holding his nose. His stood up slightly more, and shook his head. Then he cracked his nose, and I winced...it was very disgusting. "Shall we call it square, then?"

"Release her." Will forced his way through the crowd and looked at Elizabeth. "She's not part of the bargain." Bargain? What bargain?

"And what bargain be that?" Barbossa asked, speaking all our minds. Will only glanced over toward him, his face expressionless.

"You heard Captain Turner. Release her." My mouth dropped open.

"_Captain_ Turner?" Jack and I both said at the same time. We glanced at each other quickly before he turned his attention back on Will.

"Aye, the perfidious rotter led a mutiny against us!" Gibbs spat.

"I need the Pearl to free my father. That's the only reason I came on this voyage." Will said, looking defiant. Still, I'd liked to have punched him in the face.

"Why didn't you tell me you were planning this?" Elizabeth looked toward Will, and confused expression on her face. He looked toward her and then away.

"It was my burden to bear." He managed, and I couldn't help but raise my eyebrows. That was an extremely harsh way to quote her...

"He needs the Pearl." Jack smiled and stepped into a clearing on the deck, so we all could watch him. "_Captain_ Turner needs the Pearl." He turned on Elizabeth. "And you felt guilty." He turned toward Barbossa. "And you and your Bretheren Court. Did no one come to save me just because they missed me?" We all stared, no one moving. Was he serious? He continued looking around as if we would raise our hands. And then Marty did. Followed by Cotton, Pintel, and Gibbs. And Jack (monkey). And then me. Jack smiled and pointed toward us.

"I'm standin' over there wif them." Jack tried to take a step closer to us, but was stopped by Sao Feng.

"I'm sorry Jack, but there is an old friend who wants to see you first." Sao Feng grimaced. It seemed like that was all he ever really did, the crazy blaggard...

"I'm not certain I can survive any more visits from old friends." Jack frowned. I was quite puzzled, actually. Who else could possibly show up?

"Here is your chance to find out." Sao Feng said, looking over at a ship sailing toward us. It was an EITC ship. I guess all we needed now was Davy Jones and the whole party would be here...


	19. Chapter 19: Just a Negotiation

**Alright, my friends! Here be a chapter I've been dying to write for a while. Enjoy my unexpected twist. Er...well, I hope it was unexpected...

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**

I almost couldn't stand it. EITC men were boarding the Pearl from _Beckett's_ ship, where Jack was now probably being held captive. There were oh, so many things wrong with that one sentance...

"My men are crew enough." Sao Feng tried to stop Mr. Mercer as he stepped aboard the Pearl. Man, I hated that man. Mercer, not Sao Feng, though I wasn't a huge fan of Sao Feng either.

"Company ship, company crew." He sneered, and walked away coldly.

"You agreed the Black Pearl was to be mine."

"And so it was." Sao Feng looked around, and then nodded. Before I knew what had happened, Will, Elizabeth, and I were pulled into a line and forced into chains. _Chains_. I glared at Sao Feng.

"Does the code mean _anything _to you?" I grimaced.

"These days, it hardly means a thing to anyone. Not just to me." He said, with each word stepping closer to me, breathing into my face. I pulled back in disgust, growing more and more angry with him each second. His eyes grew to slits and he walked away from me, toward Mercer.

"Beckett agreed, the Black Pearl was to be mine." Sao Feng grabbed his shoulder, stopping him from walking.

"Beckett's not going to give up the only ship as can outrun the Dutchman, is he?" Mercer glared at the pirate's hand. Sao Feng slowly removed his hand, visibly shaking from anger. Not so great to be on the losing side again, eh?

"Shame you're not bound to honour the code of the Brethren isn't it? Because honour's a hard thing to come by nowadays..." Barbossa stepped toward him, his shakles jingling with each step. He was using that voice. That _specific _voice. I raised an eyebrow...he had a plan...

"There is no honour to remaining with the losing side." He whirled around to defend himself. "Leaving it for the winning side, it's just good business."

"The losing side, you say?" Barbossa questioned.

"They have the Dutchman!" He spat. "Now the Pearl. And what do the Brethren have?" He glared at all of us, as if it were our fault. Actually, it was his fault. But with the chains and the guns pointed at me, I opted to not say anything, but instead stared at my feet. Wet boots...how interesting...

"We have Calypso." I looked up from my _fascinating_ entertainment and fixed my eyes on Barbossa. What was he thinking?!

"Calypso?" Sao Feng laughed slightly, but glanced over toward Elizabeth. What was _he_ thinking? "An old legend?"

"No." Barbossa smiled. "The goddess herself, bound in human form. Imagine, all the power of the seas brought to bear against our enemy. I intend to release her, but for that I need the Brethren Court. All the Court." 'Calypso? Who is Barbossa talking ab...?' I stopped all my thoughts, and looked over toward Tia. 'Of course.' Tia Dalma was the goddess Calypso. That explained all the strange things about her...she was Calypso...

"And so you think we can win if we can bring together the Bretheren?" Sao Feng glanced toward Elizabeth again. Why did he keep looking at her?

"I know we can." Barbossa said in his other voice. The triumphant 'I'm-such-a-great-negotiator' voice.

"I still wonder..." Sao Feng shook his head, but Barbossa cut him off.

"Perhaps a little more persuasion?"

"What are you proposing, Captain?" Sao Feng smiled.

"What be you accepting, Captain?" Barbossa returned the smile.

"The girl." Sao Feng directed his stare to Elizabeth.

"What?" Elizabeth finally spoke, looking completely surprised.

"Elizabeth is not part of any bargain!" Will grimaced.

"Out of the question." Barbossa shook his head, but I couldn't help but notice him trying to hide an expression of regret.

"It was not a question." Sao Feng's smile disapeared. "It's the girl, or I _will not_ go to the Court."

"Done." Elizabeth raised her head higher. I looked over toward her, completely surprised. What was she thinking?

"What? Not done!" Will shared my surprise.

"You got us into this mess! If this is what frees us, then done!" She hissed.

"Elizabeth, they're pirates." Will said, determined not to let her go. She was equally determined, though, if not even more so. An idea started to form in my brain...

"I've had more than enough experience dealing with pirates." She pushed Will away from her.

"Then...we have an accord?" Barbossa asked, clearly pleased that Elizabeth had agreed after all. Sao Feng only nodded, smiling at Elizabeth. His crew began to unshackle her...my idea was now or never...

"Take me, as well." I spoke up, my eyes fixed on Sao Feng. "Elizabeth shouldn't have to go alone. Take me, too."

"Why?"

"Because..." I stammered, trying to think of a legitimate reason.

"Because I won't go without her." Elizabeth looked up at Sao Feng from her newly freed stance.

"Fine." He nodded. The crew unshackled me (much less carefully than they'd done Elizabeth...) and I walked toward her. She shot me a grateful glance, and I nodded. We were in this together. Arm in arm, we walked toward the Empress, lead by none other than Sao Feng himself. With all of the adventures that Elizabeth and I had been through together, I was never more terrified than I was at that single moment. I could not stand that guy, and now, I was his prisoner...again...


	20. Chapter 20: Locked In

**Yes! 20 chapters, now! Thanks a ton to you all reading my story...dang! I can't believe I'm this far already...

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**"Follow me." An oriental woman took over leading Elizabeth and I down below the decks of the ship. Sao Feng was too good to finish leading us around, apparently. The woman lead us down a dark corridor and stopped appruptly in front of a door. She opened it with a loud creak, and guestured for us to go inside; and slowly, we trudged through the doorway. With a small bow of courtesty, she disappeared again, closing the door behind her. After hearing a small click, I heard her footsteps quietly tredding away. My heart sank out of anticipation, as I stood up to test my theory. The doorknob wouldn't budge. I was right- we had been locked in.

"Isn't this a lovely predicament I've gotten us in?" Elizabeth sat down the little bed sitting against the wall. There wasn't much in the room; a small shelf holding a single burning candle and a few books, all of said books more than likely being written in Chinese lettering and therefore useless to us, the bed that Elizabeth sat on, and a little wooden bench against the opposite wall that the bed was against. There were probably around two feet between the bed and bench; the room was that small.

"Elizabeth, I put myself in this position. You did what you had to do, and I did what I had to do."

"You didn't have to come." She looked up at me.

"I couldn't let my best friend fall in the hands of that..._pirate_, for lack of a better word. Not alone." I sighed and sat down on the bench across from Elizabeth.

"Well...thanks." She looked back down at her feet, and we sat in silence. I grabbed ahold of my necklace and twisted the chain around my finger. I didn't know what to do...I was trapped on a ship with a man I despised while the man I loved was trapped on a ship with a man he despised. Well, I hated Beckett, too, and I'm sure Jack hated Sao Feng, so maybe that didn't really work...but still. I couldn't help but think about what Jack must be doing now. Would he be stuck on the Endeavor all the way to Port Royal and a waiting noose, or would he pull one of his infamous escapes? I just didn't know anything, and I couldn't help but sigh in frustration.

"Elizabeth." I looked up at her again. "Do you think there's even the slightest possibility that things will work out on our side?" She stared at me, hesitating to answer.

"I don't know." She shook her head. "I had thought there was a lot of hope, but the East India Trading Company has so much power..." Her voice trailed off. "Still, we have to do something. We have to try." I nodded.

"Aye. You're right." Again, things passed in silence, and there was nothing to do but stare at the candle light flickering in the room. It seemed like we were quiet for _hours_, and we probably were. There was nothing we could really say.

"Selesta..." She stopped, her voice sounded loud in the long silence, though it was naught but a whisper. "I have to ask...I've tried to keep out of it, but...what's going on between you and Jack?" She paused, sounding embarased for asking. "I mean...you both seem so distant from one another these days..."

"It's my fault, really." I sighed, not completely sure of how to tell the story. "When I accused him of abandoning me, you know. Then I pretty much tried to end the relationship, and I did..."

"You did?"

"I've hated myself for it every second of every day." I burried my head in my hands. "Elizabeth, I love him. I've loved him almost all my life, and I completely ruined any chance I have with him. We've barely spoke to each other, and when we have, it's always been awkward..."

"You don't think he still loves you?" She asked quietly.

"How could he love someone who yelled at him for caring? Who's never understood him? I should have known that he would never do anything like what I'd accused him of." I shook my head and blinked back tears. I wouldn't cry. I _wouldn't _cry.

"No one really understands that man." She said, her voice sounded almost amused. "You didn't know..."

"But I should have." I cut her off. "I just think..." I was stopped short when the door was suddenly opened. I'd been so wrapped up with what we'd been saying, I hadn't heard footsteps, or even the sound of a turning key. It was a woman, though different from the woman who had lead us to the room.

"Please, follow me. The captain has requested your presence, and we must prepare you." She motioned for us to step into the hallway.

"Prepare us?" I asked, curious as to what she meant.

"Yes. What you are wearing will never do for a meeting with the Captain. Not on this occasion." I opened my mouth to ask about what 'occasion' she was talking about, but she turned and walked away before I could. I guess we'd have to wait.

"I've just about had it with having to dress up for meetings with pirate captains." Elizabeth mumbled beside me. Who knew what she was talking about...


	21. Chapter 21: In the Captain's Cabin

**Thanks a ton to me reviewers! Rum and cookies to ye!

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**"I think this is the Captain's Quarters." I whispered, looking around the room. We were the only ones in the room, as the woman had disappered, mumbling something about dresses, which didn't make me happy. I liked my pants. 

"How do you know?" Elizabeth asked, her face stone cold. She was scared, but extremely determined. She'd changed a lot since the first time I met her.

"Because it's big and extravegent, and it has that same creepy air as the captain does."

"What do you think she brought us in _here_ for?" Elizabeth glanced back toward the door.

"I don't know..." I shrugged my shoulders. We waited quietly, staring at the floor, at the walls, at all of the expensive things around the cabin, just waiting for someone to return. I felt so lost...like I'd been pushed into a game and I was the play-piece for someone who didn't know the rules. I didn't know what to do, and I didn't have the slightest idea of what would happen. I turned back toward the door when I heard it creak, and I saw the two women, the one who had lead us to the little cabin and the one who had lead us from it, walking toward us. Holding _dresses_.

"Hurry. Change into these." They handed Elizabeth and I clothes, and thankfully, the Singaporian idea of dresses is very different than the English idea of dresses. At least that load was pulled from my shoulders. I could at least stand these; my dress looked tolerable. I quickly pulled off my own clothes and put on the dress. It was suprisingly comfortable, simple, and a dark blue. It was silky, too. I'd never actually worn silk before...I shook my head and reminded myself that I was there as a prisoner. I glanced back toward the women and saw that they were helping Elizabeth, so I quickly strapped my sword around my hips again (under my dress to hide it, just in case) and tucked my pistol into the sash that tied around the waist of my dress. I was ready for whatever Sao Feng was planning on doing. Looking back at Elizabeth, I noticed that the women were still helping her. Her dress was that complicated? They stepped away from her, and I finally saw that her dress _was_ far more complicated and ornate than mine. They had done her hair, too. Suddenly, they went quiet, and bowed their heads down, as if in respect. It was then that I noticed Sao Feng walking into the room, mumbling in Chinese. He clapped his hands, and they walked out of the room. He turned and looked at Elizabeth, giving all of his attention to her, as if I wasn't even there.

"By this time tomorrow we will arrive at Shipwreck Cove and you will be free...Calypso. " He said, and my eyes widened. That's why he was so interested in Elizabeth. 'He thinks she's Calypso.'

"Excuse me?" She asked, looking as suprised as I looked, I'm sure.

"Not the name you fancy I imagine, out of the many that you have, but it is what we call you." He walked around his cabin and picked up a cup, attempting to mix the liquid with a leaf. I took a few steps closer to Elizabeth, for both of our benefit.

"We being who?" She asked him, turning to look at me with confusion.

"You confirm it." He shoved the leaf into his mouth. Personally, I was quite curious as to what he was actually eating...

"Confirm what? You've told me nothing." She said, looking at me again, though this time with an expression that seemed to say 'go along with what I say'. He turned around and walked toward her, still ignoring me.

"The Brethren Court...not I...the first Brethren Court, whose decision _I_ would have opposed. They bound you to human form, you and your lady in waiting," I snarled. Is that what he thought I was? No wonder he wouldn't talk to me... "so the rule of the seas would belong to man and not…"

"...to me." Elizabeth cut him off, smiling slightly. She was saying that she was Calypso? What was she thinking?!

"The one such as you should never be anything less than what you are." He whispered. I would have freaked out with a man like that trying to seduce me, but somehow, Elizabeth kept her calm.

"Pretty speech from a captor, but words whispered through prison bars lose their charm." Elizabeth returned his banter with some of her own, and I crossed my arms, reassuring myself that my pistol was still there for quick use.

"Can I be blamed for my efforts? All men are drawn to the sea, perilous though it may be."

"And some men offer desire as justification for their crimes."

"I will give you my desire." Sao Feng finally got to exactly what he wanted.

"And in return?"

"I would have your gifts, should you choose to give them."

"And if I choose not?" I saw Elizabeth clenching her teeth.

"Then I will take...your fury." He held her fast against the mast that ran through the cabin and forced her into a kiss. Needless to say, I lunged at him.

"Get off of her!" I yelled, prying him away. Elizabeth and I managed to throw him off of her and across the room. I looked back toward her, her fearless face gone. She was really scared; and so was I. He began to walk toward us, but in midstep, the side of the cabin exploded, accompanied by the sound of cannon fire, and he was blown to the other side of the cabin. Silence.

"Sao Feng?" Elizabeth managed, taking a step closer to where he was thrown against the wall.

"Here, please." He gasped, beckoning us to step closer. I did, and saw that he was pinned against the side of his own cabin, impaled by a chunk of wood right through his stomach...


	22. Chapter 22: A Surprise in the Brig

**Alright, mates...this one is like, the longest chapter I've ever written, I believe, because I wanted to get to a certain part...you shall see! ****Also...a big thanks to all of my reviewers, and a special thanks to Black Wolf-Dog for being me 100th review! Thanks a ton guys!

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**Sao Feng beckoned for Elizabeth to lean closer to him, and to my surprise, she did. With a tremulous hand, he reached up to his neck and pulled off a necklace saying, "With all nine pieces of eight, you will be free." Elizabeth just stood there, seeming as if she was trying to take it all in. "Take it!" He ordered, shoving it into her hand. "You are captain now." My eyes opened in shock. He was giving her his position as captain _and_ Pirate Lord of Singapore.

"Me?" She asked incredulously.

"Go in my place to Shipwreck Cove." He managed, his voice fading. He was so close to death. Suddenly, I heard the sound of running feet, and Tai Huang appeared in the doorway.

"Captain, the ship is taken, we cannot..." He stopped when he saw his captain, dying on the floor. I turned my attention back on Sao Feng, and saw him whisper something to Elizabeth. Then his hand fell, and he was silent. He was dead. "What did he tell you?" Tai Huang asked, staring at his dead captain. Elizabeth stood up, and held up the necklace he'd given her.

"He made me captain." She looked up at him as he stood glaring at her in the doorway. He turned and ran up the stairs in a huff, and I turned to look at her.

"We need to get to deck." I said and she nodded in agreement. We turned and ran up the stairs, but as we reached the deck, I felt a set of hands grab me and hold me behind a sword. I managed to see Elizabeth and Tai Huang held in the same position.

"You are not my captain." Tai Huang spat, glaring at Elizabeth. I looked back on deck to see that EITC men were the reason for our delay. Then I saw a familiar face...Norington? What the crap?! He was in an extremely ornate uniform, so I guessed automatically that he had gotten not only his job back, but a promotion for his delivery of the heart. Then he noticed us being held at sword point.

"Elizabeth?" He asked, ingoring me like everyone else had been doing lately. Sadly, I was actually starting to get used to it.

"James! James!" She pulled out from her captive state and walked toward him. I took the opportunity to glare at my own soldier.

"Let go of me." I ordered. Confused, he lowered his sword and I stepped away from him and toward Elizabeth in time to see Norington pull her into a hug.

"Thank God you're alive. Your father will be overjoyed to know you're safe." He smiled, but I closed my eyes thinking of the memories that haunted Elizabeth and I. He didn't know half of the truth.

"My father's dead." Elizabeth said, not believing that he didn't know.

"No, that can't be true he...he returned to England." Norington stammered, looking back and forth between Elizabeth and I. I shook my head.

"Did Lord Beckett tell you that?" I asked coldly, staring at him. His eyes widened in realization as he figured it all out. He opened his mouth to speak again, but was cut off as the last person on earth I wanted to see appeared on deck. _Davy Jones._

"Who among you do you name as Captain?" He asked, strolling nonchalantly around the deck, taking his sweet time with his capture.

"Captain! Her!" Tai Huang said, pointing toward Elizabeth. The rest of the crew joined in the point, following his lead.

"Captain?" Davy Jones took a step closer to Elizabeth, looking her over scrutinously.

"Tow the ship, put the prisoners in the brig." Norington yelled out his order, cutting off whatever Davy Jones could finish saying. I saw Jones' glare, though. He wasn't the least bit happy serving under the EITC. "The captain shall have my quarters." He said looking at Elizabeth. I sighed...forgotten again.

"Thank you sir." Elizabeth said, her voice sounding hard. "But I prefer to remain with my crew." She stepped back toward the group of the Singapore men, and I followed her.

"Elizabeth!" Norington grabbed her arm. "I swear...I did not know." He shook his head.

"Know what? Which side you chose?" She jerked her arm out of his grasp. "Well now you do." The company men circled us and shackled us all. They grabbed us and pulled us toward the Flying Dutchman, taking us toward the brig, and I know for a fact, Norington was watching Elizabeth the entire time.

* * *

"Selesta." Elizabeth finally stopped pacing long enough to look at me. "Will's father is on this ship. I wonder if I could find him..." I looked at her and nodded. 

"Ol' Bootstrap. Good man." I looked at my boots.

"You knew him?" She asked, and I nodded.

"Aye. A long time ago."

"Do you see him anywhere?" She asked, looking around at all of the crew members outside the brig. We'd just been locked in, and many of them were still around.

"I haven't seen him in years. I'm not sure I could recognize him." I mumbled, ashamed of myself. Bootstrap had been like a father to me, and even I knew that I wouldn't be able to pick him out of these people.

"I have to find him, Selesta. I need to talk to him." She walked over to the bars fo the brig. "Bootstrap?" She asked, hopefully looking at one of the crew. He laughed and walked away. She turned to another person. "Bootstrap? Bill Turner?"

"Bootstrap..." I heard a familar voice comming from _inside _the brig. Elizabeth and I turned around to see a man attached to the wall. Right away, I realized that this was him. It was Bootstrap. "You know my name."

"Yes. I know your son." Elizabeth swallowed nervously. "Will Turner."

"William! Ha, ha, ha!" He jumped from the wall and stood in front of us. "He made it! He's alive, and now he sends you to tell me that he's coming to get me. Ha, ha! God's boons, he's on his way!"

"Yes Will is alive, and he wants to help you." Elizabeth said slowly. Bootstrap stopped smiling, as if he had come to some sort of realization.

"He can't help me, he won't come."

"You're his father." Elizabeth tried to reassure him. The conversation was between two again...and not me. Ignored again!

"I know you, he spoke of you. He can't save me, he can't come because of you." He pointed a finger in Elizabeth's face.

"Me?" She asked, taken aback.

"You're Elizabeth." He declared, as if it explained everything.

"Yes...I'm Elizabeth."

"If Jones be slain he who slays him must take his place. Captain, forever. The Dutchman must always have a Captain. And if he saves me he loses you." Bootstrap took a step back from us, shaking his head. Finally, I understood everything...Bootstrap had explained it all...

"I see." Elizabeth murmered.

"He won't pick me, I wouldn't pick me." Bootstrap stepped back against the wall, and my heart dropped in my chest. It was so, so hard to see him like this. "Tell him not to come, tell him to stay away, tell him it's too late. I'm already a part of the ship. And the crew." He closed his eyes and stood motionless, once again attached to the wall.

"Bootstrap?" Elizabeth reached toward him, and his eyes snapped open in an instant.

"You know my name? You know my name?" He asked, looking at Elizabeth.

"Yes...I know your son." Elizabeth repeated, and we looked at each other in confusion. We'd just had this conversation...

"William! He's coming for me, wait and see, you'll see. He promised." Suddenly his eyes diverted to me. "Selesta?" He pulled out from the wall and stepped toward me. "What are you doing here?"

"I...I..." I mumbled. He didn't remember anything he'd just said... "I..."

"You're a part of the crew now?" He asked, thought it seemed like more of a statement than a question.

"No, I..." I stopped unsure of what to say.

"Part of the crew, part of the ship..." He mumbled, attaching back to the ship, again. I almost wanted to cry from it all. I could only stare at Bootstrap, wishing things were completely different. I turned and walked away to lean against the mast that ran through the brig, and I let a tear slide down my cheek. Things were so messed up. Suddenly, I felt a hand grabbing my arm, and I could tell it wasn't Elizabeth. I quickly whirled around and pulled out my pistol, cocking it. It was a member of the crew, and he too looked familiar.

"You don't hate me enough to do that, do you? To shoot your own father?"


	23. Chapter 23: Father

**Thanks for the reviews guys! They are wonderfully appreciated, and I'm always wanting to know what you all think...**

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"Father?" I asked, lowering my pistol. He said nothing, but I could see him visibly swallow. I couldn't believe it...it was my father. _My father_...on the Dutchman, covered in barnacles with a sea horse across his face.

"What...what are ye doing here?" He asked.

"It's a...long, long story." I said, trying to think of what to say...it _was_ a long story.

"Ye're not a part of the crew, then? Ye're not dead?" He asked. I shook my head, still not believing this was happening. I'd kept saying that I'd wished for another chance to talk with my father, but I _never_ believed I'd actually get one. "Ye were captured then, eh?"

"Aye." I nodded.

"Captured." He mumbled, looking at his feet. "Now a part of the crew." He looked back up at me.

"No, father, no." I shook my head. "I'm not a part of the crew." Again I felt the urge to cry. My father was just as confused as Bootstrap.

"Then why are ye 'ere?"

"I've been captured by the East India Trading Company for being a pirate, and you have to help me. I have to get off this ship…"

"Ye can't leave the ship once ye're a part of it, Selesta."

"But I'm not a part of it, father, please listen to me!"

"Not a part of the crew?" He asked. I shook my head. "Then ye must get off it."

"I know, that's what I've been saying." I shook my head. My father was _more_ confused than Bootstrap. "How long have you been in here?" I asked, swallowing, and feeling the tears trying to well up in my eyes. He must have been here a long time to be so messed up in the head.

"A long time." He said sadly.

"Were you here when Bootstrap was put in, or were you put in afterward?" I asked.

"Before." He murmured. "I was put in just after Bootstrap was sent to talk to Jack and I found out Jones would try sink the ship. I'd heard the stories, Selesta, and I knew ye were on the ship. I did everything I could to try to stop him, and it landed me in 'ere. Then when Bootstrap tried to stop 'im, he was put in 'ere, too." I shook my head, and blinked back the tears. "Did Jones sink the Pearl?" He asked.

"Aye." I nodded. "And he sent Jack to the locker, too."

"Jack's gone?" My father shook his head. "I'm sorry, I know how ye felt about 'im..."

"We rescued him from the locker." I cut him off. "We sailed out of our own world, to the locker, and we brought him and the Pearl back."

"I didn't know ye could do that." My father raised an eyebrow. "Where is Jack, then?"

"I don't really know." I took a deep breath to compose myself. "Last I saw him, Lord Beckett had him trapped on an EITC ship." I tried to keep it from doing so, but my voice quivered slightly. I was still so upset; I had no idea where Jack was or what had happened to him.

"The East India Company has control of this ship." My father shook his head. "From the talk of the crew, the Captain's not taken it too well."

"I wouldn't expect so." I grimaced slightly at the thought of both the East India Company _and_ the Captain of the ship. It really was hard to decide which I hated more. We both stopped talking, and silence engulfed me. I started thinking about all the days on the Pearl when I would refuse to talk to him. I was so stupid back then...

"I've not been apart from the wall in quite some time," My father finally said, "and I don't think I can go much longer standing on me own. I've gotta go back to it." He took a few steps closer toward the wall.

"Father, wait." I stopped him. "I'm really, really sorry."

"Sorry? For what?"

"For how I acted on the Pearl. It was stupid and childish, and I've regretted it every day since you died." One of my tears finally forced it's way onto my cheek, and streaked wreaklessly down my face. I heard my father take a step closer to me as more tears followed the first.

"I always thought I'd be there to see my daughter grow up. It's already happened..." He shook his head. "God...why did I have to miss it?" He laid his hand on my shoulder. "You've got to find a way off the ship, Selesta."

"I know." I choked, trying futilely to wipe my tears away. They just kept falling...

"I've got to go." He voice sounded heavier than before, and he took a step back toward the wall. "I am proud of ye."

"Wait father, I..." I tried to stop him, but he walked backward until he stood against the wall, looking more and more a part of it each moment.

"Don't worry about me. Worry about yourself, and get yourself through all of this. I know ye will." And with that, he closed his eyes and stood motionless. I bit my lip, my eyes fixed on him.It was all so hard to take in...

"I'm sorry." Elizabeth whispered beside me. I turned to her and opened my mouth to speak, but stopped when I heard a high pitched squeak. I turned toward the door to the brig and saw Norington standing with it open.

"Come with me." He said, looking at all of us. Not a single person moved. "Quickly!" He urged; the crew turned to look at Elizabeth. She nodded, and they began to flood out of the door. Elizabeth and I were the last ones out.

"What are you doing?" She asked, looking up at the Admiral we both used to know as a pirate and fellow crew member.

"Choosing a side." He said firmly, urging once again to go. With one last turn to look at my father and one last tear running down my face, I ran up toward the deck, wishing, as always, that things could be different.


	24. Chapter 24: Escaping the Dutchman

**Thanks for the reviews guys! This chapter is a little on the short side, so I appologize for that, but I'll try to update soon for ya!

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**If I'd ever found myself in a precarious situation, this would be very high up on the list. Walking on the very ledge of the ship was a little freaky, and I wasn't very comfortable. Needless to say, I was quite happy once we were able to climb back onto the ship's actual deck. The crew immediately began to climb across the tow line toward the Empress, though I stayed with Elizabeth.

"Do not go Shipwreck Cove." Norington grabbed Elizabeth's arm. "Beckett knows of the meeting of the Brethren, I fear there may be a traitor among them."

"It's too late to earn my forgiveness." She glared at him, and I have to admit, I shot a few dirty looks his way, too. Well...I'd never liked the guy!

"I had nothing to do with your father's death." He quickly protested, though his face fell slightly after a moment. "But that does not absolve me of my other sins." He looked down toward the deck. I didn't know what to do with the guy...at one moment, I would hate him, the next moment he would make me feel sorry for him...

"Come with us." Elizabeth said suddenly, causing both Norington and I to snap our heads to look at her. "James, come with me."

"Who goes there?" I heard a voice from the ship. Was it Bootstrap? I looked all around, but I couldn't see anyone.

"Go. I will follow." Norington said, also looking around the ship. He wasn't going to come, anyone could see that...

"You're lying." Elizabeth called his bluff. Norington looked back and forth between the both of us, then fixed his eyes on Elizabeth.

"Our destinies have been entwined Elizabeth, but never joined." He leaned toward her and quickly kissed her. "Go now!" Elizabeth looked back toward me, and gestured for me to go first. I nodded and jumped up onto the railing of the ship, and then onto the line that would take us to the Empress. After I got a few feet out onto it, Elizabeth followed, and I moved as fast as I could to get to the other side. "Back to your station sailor." I heard Norington's voice.

"No one leaves the ship." I heard another voice. It _was_ Bootstrap.

"Stand down that's an order." Norington's voice came again. I kept moving, but I could see both of them clearly on the ship. Elizabeth, too, was watching.

"That's an order..." Bootstrap repeated. "Part of the crew, part of the ship. Part of the crew, part of the ship. Part of the crew, part of the ship!" He said, over and over, each time getting louder.

"Steady man!" Norington yelled. What was happening? Were we going to get caught?

"Part of the crew, part of the ship! All hands! Prisoner escape!" Bootstrap yelled louder than ever, and I forced myself to go faster.

"Belay that!" I heard Norinton yell, and I'm almost positive I heard the sound of a pistol being cocked. I moved faster than ever, and even though my hands were cramping from clinging to the line so tightly, I didn't care. I was completely terrified.

"James!" Elizabeth yelled, also sounding as terrified as I felt. I saw Norington look toward us, and then raise a gun toward the line. I heard the gun fire, and then I felt myself falling into the sea. I opened my eyes as I felt the water around me, and I swam to the surface, right next to Elizabeth. We both looked up at the confusion of everything happening on the deck, just in time to see Bootstrap stab Norington through the chest. My eyes opened wide in disbelief, and my mouth dropped. "James!" Elizabeth screamed next to me. "No! No!" For seconds we swam there, motionless, and then I came to my senses.

"Elizabeth! We have to get away from the ship, come on!" She turned toward me, her face overwhelmed with shock, and we swam harder than ever, toward the Empress; not a word was spoken along the way.

* * *

Stepping on the deck, Elizabeth finally collapsed into tears. I pulled her into a hug, and she cried as hard as I've ever seen her cry. Though it seemed it would be never ending, after a few minutes, Elizabeth had finally calmed down enough to stand on her own, and we noticed the crew standing idly around the deck. 

"Cut the lines, and free the ship. Set the sails for Shipwreck Cove." Elizabeth spat, wiping her remaining tears from her face. For a moment, they stood motionless on deck, looking around at each other.

"You heard your captain." I glared at them. "Step to it."

And they did.


	25. Chapter 25: Shipwreck Cove

**25 Chapters? Oh how time flies! I feel as though it was just yesterday that I'd started writing The Legend of Captain Jack Sparrow! Thanks mucho to my readers! You guys have been with me since the start, and I love you all!

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**"I still don't understand why you don't want me to make you my first mate." Elizabeth mumbled. "It doesn't make sense..." 

"Yes it does, Elizabeth." I stopped her. "The men listen to Tai Huang, and for now Tai Huang is listening to you. If you remove him from the mate position, there's sure to be a mutiny. All I want right now is to get to Shipwreck Cove in one piece, and that in itself has proven hard enough to do. We don't need any other obsticles."

"I guess you're right then." She sighed.

"I know I'm right." I smiled slightly. "So, _Captain_. Orders?" I asked, and I could see her trying to hide a prideful smile.

"Raise the fore-sail." She shouted from our place by the bow of the ship. "The faster we can get to Shipwreck Cove, the better." Almost immediately, the crew jumped into action to do as she had ordered.

"Captain." I heard Tai Huang's voice and Elizabeth and I spun around to see him walking toward us. "I checked the maps and our current latitude, and I think we will arrive in Shipwreck Cove by nightfall."

"Thank you, Tai Huang." Elizabeth nodded and smiled politely, and he turned to walk away. "Nightfall, hmm?" She looked up toward the sky. "It's getting there."

"You can see the yellow on the horizon. It won't be long." I nodded, agreeing with her. She sighed solemnly, looking down at her feet. "And it won't be long until you see Will again." I added, knowing exactly what she was thinking. She looked up at me, seeming surprised that I had known, but really, he was all she every thought about.

"I know." She said quietly. "I feel horrible, though, about how I treated him on the Pearl. He was just looking out for me..."

"And you were just looking out for the rest of us. It's okay, Elizabeth. Everything is working out fine; everything is going to work out." I stopped her.

"When we were locked down in the room, you were talking about your doubt for everything working out..."

"But that's when we were being held prisoner by one of our worst enemies. It's hard to see anything but the dark side in those positions." I shrugged. "I...I just think things are going to work out for us..." I smiled, but deep in the pit of my stomach, I had a feeling that things weren't going to work out to our advantage. But there was no way I was going to tell Elizabeth that...

* * *

Nightime was here, and I could see lights in the distance. Lights meant land, and land meant we were near our destination. Shipwreck Cove was less than a mile away, and I couldn't have been more nervous about it. I was finally going to find out whether Jack had been able to get away from Beckett or not, and the anticipation was eating at my nerves. Then, of course, there was the fact that all the greatest pirates from around the world would be in one room together, and I was sure that wasn't going to be the greatest (or safest) thing ever. _And_ there was the actual matter that we were all comming to discuss. Fighting the EITC. Would they all go for it, or was this meeting a total waste of time? There were so many questions, and only one way to solve them...which required patience; something I've never had. And that feeling in my stomach just kept eating at me...

"Selesta?" Elizabeth snuck up behind me and grabbed my shoulder. I jumped, but turned around quickly. "Are you alright?" She questioned my jump.

"Yeah, I'm fine; just lost in my own little thinking world." I shrugged.

"We're almost there, so I thought I'd come get you so we can run to the meeting once we've docked. We are rather late..." I nodded, and we walked away from the bow of the ship where I'd been standing. I sighed while watching the crew scampering about the ship doing what they needed to do to prepare her to dock. I'd felt so useless on this voyage. Even though I'd sailed on a Junk to the end of the world, I still no idea what to do. Looking back toward Shipwreck City, I could finally see the dock more clearly, and my heart skipped a beat as my eyes spotted the Black Pearl. I bit my lip and took a deep breath to compose myself. 'Please let her captain be here.' I thought as the Empress glided into her spot at the dock.

"We will go, and leave the most crew here to dock the ship." Tai Huang walked up toward Elizabeth and I. Elizabeth nodded, and we walked down the gangplank and onto the dock.

"Do you know the way to the meeting, Tai Huang?" She asked. He nodded and stepped in front of us to lead the way. Elizabeth and I walked silently behind him, a few of the crew following us. Through the streets, turning here and there, we walked, my heart pounding. I was so, so nervous...

"Here we are." Tai Huang stopped suddenly in front of a door. Inside we went, and I could hear the slight sound of talking farther in. We walked through a hallway and the talking got louder. "When you get inside, to let everyone know that you are now the Pirate Lord of Singapore, you need to take your sword and stick it into the globe near the door. Put it where Singapore is on the globe." Elizabeth nodded at Tai Huang's instructions, and we continued walking. To tell you the truth, I was confident that this was more of a practice to disarm the Pirate Lords rather than to have them prove who they were...

Closer, and closer...and I could make out specific voices, now. Then inside the room we went, and the first thing I heard was Jack's voice, finishing up what was probably some long speech as he was prone to do. But I didn't care! A huge weight was lifted from my shoulders...Jack was here!

"...to wait until Sao Feng joins us."

"Sao Feng is dead." Elizabeth stepped into the room and sheathed her sword into the globe as Tai Huang had said to do. "He fell to the Flying Dutchman."

"The Flag Ship!" Someone yelled, as Elizabeth, Tai Huang, and I walked farther into the room. Jack was here! I could have danced from joy. Gibbs was also here; Pintel...

"And made you captain? They're just giving the bloody title away now!" Jack said, while my train of thought continued. There was Ragetti...

"Listen." Elizabeth commanded. "Listen to me." Everyone grew quieter. "Our location has been betrayed. Jones is under the command of Lord Beckett, they're on their way here." Barbossa was here...unfortunately. But...

"Who is this betrayer?" One of the men seated at the table stood up threateningly. Will? Where was Will?

"Not likely anyone among us." Barbossa said. Will wasn't here...

"Where's Will?" Elizabeth finally asked what we were both thinking.

"Not among us." Jack answered both her question, and the Pirate Lord's. Will had betrayed us...


	26. Chapter 26: The Brethren Court

**Alright, guys...updates are probably going to get a whole lot slower these days. I'm kinda grounded (long story) and it's really hard to update because it's hard for me to sneak onto the computer (Sssh! Don't tell on me!) BUT...I'm trying, and I'll do the best I can. Bear with me, guys!

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**"And it matters not how they found us, the question is what will we do now that they have?" Barbossa spoke up among the squabbling pirates.

"We fight!" Elizabeth shouted, and all eyes turned to look at her. After hardly a moment's hesitation, they all burst into laughter. What was funny about fighting? One of the pirates sitting around the table, a woman, stood up triumphantly. I guessed that she was one of the Pirate Lords...

"Shipwreck Cove is a fortress. A well supplied fortress." She said, looking around at all the other pirates. There were many nods and mumblings of approval as she spoke. "There is no need to fight if they cannot get to us."

"There be a third course." Barbossa spoke again, and everyone grew quiet. "In another age at this very spot, the first Brethren Court captured the sea goddess and bound her in her bones." He paused, and I couldn't help but notice that everyone was deathly still, and deathly silent. "That was a mistake. Oh, we tamed the seas for ourselves, aye, but opened the door to Beckett and his ilk! Better were the days when mastery of seas came not from bargains struck with eldritch creatures, but from the sweat of a man's brow and the strength of his back alone. Y'all know this to be true!" I froze and realized that I had been nodding. Was I agreeing with Barbossa? I shuddered at the thought...still he was a good speech maker. No one dared to ever interupt him while he was speaking. "Gentlemen, ladies, we must free Calypso." But that was too much. _Free Calypso? _After everything I'd heard of her while she was free, all the stories, there was no way anyone would even contemplate that choice...would they? They were still deathly silent. Suddenly, the entire room burst with noise.

"Shoot him!" One of the Lords yelled.

"Cut out his tongue!" Another stood from his place at the table.

"Shoot him and cut out his tongue!" Jack chipped in happily to Barbossa's possible death. "And then shoot his tongue! And trim that scraggly beard..." I rolled my eyes. No matter what, Jack would _always_ be Jack...

"Sao Feng would have agreed with Barbossa!" Tai Huang yelled above the crowd. Suddenly I was liking him a lot less. Did he not realize how dangerous that would be? An angry woman who has total and unstoppable control of the seas. And these _pirates_, pirates who had angered her, pirates who sailed on the very sea she controlled, wanted to free her. They were mad...

"Aye." Barbossa nodded toward Tai Huang, beginning to feel comfortable in his argument. You could see it in his eyes...

"Calypso was our enemy then, she will be our enemy now!" Another Lord stood and yelled.

"Aye!" I spoke up, if only to yell one word. They couldn't free Calypso. I'd never liked Tia, and I knew, I just _knew_ it would be so, so much more dangerous to free her than they understood.

"And it's unlikely her moods improve." Another Lord said, nodding toward me. Finally, I hadn't been ignored!

"I would still agree with Sao Feng. We release Calypso!" Yet another Lord yelled, and before I knew what was happening, they had broken into a riot, punching and fighting each other black and blue. I quickly stepped back, as far away from the fight as I could get.

"This is madness." Elizabeth gasped as we all watched the fight.

"This is politics." Jack shrugged, and it was only then that I'd realized he was right beside me. I looked up at him, my heart dropping in my chest. He was right here, and there wasn't a thing I could do. Things were never going to work out for us. I quickly looked away as he turned his head to take a quick look at me. I wonder what he was thinking...

"Meanwhile our enemies are bearing down on us." Elizabeth shook her head.

"If they not be here already." Barbossa sighed, and we all turned our attention back onto the fight. It was getting really brutal out there...

"We've got to do something." I shook my head. "They'll fight all night like this if we don't."

"Aye..." Barbossa nodded and pulled out his pistol. Stepping up onto the table, he fired a shot toward the ceiling. "It was the first court what imprisoned Calypso. We should be the ones to set her free, and in her gratitude she will see fit to grant us boons." 'Oh, not this again. We just can't set her free! What about the fighting idea?' I couldn't help but think as I rolled my eyes.

"Whose boons?" Jack took a step closer toward Barbossa. "Your boons? Utterly deceptive twoddlespeak says I." Again, I couldn't help but be amazed...Jack was never normal, and yet I loved the man.

"If you have a better alternative, please, share." Barbossa stepped down from the table and tucked his pistol away. Jack nodded and smiled, beginning to walk around the table.

"Cuttlefish. Eh?" I raised an eyebrow. _Cuttlefish? _What was he getting at? "Let us not, dear friends, forget our dear friends the cuttlefish, flipper penurious little sausages, hang em up together and they will devour each other without a second thought. Human nature isn't it? Or... fish nature, rather. So yes, we could hold up here well provisioned and well armed, and half of us would be dead within the month! Which seems quite grim to me any way you slice it. Or, as my learned colleague so naively suggests, we can release Calypso and we can pray that she will be merciful. I rather doubt it. Can we in fact pretend that she is anything other than a woman scorned like which fury hell hath no? We cannot. Res ipsa loquitur, tabula in naufragio...we are left with but one option. I agree with, and I cannot believe the words are coming out of me mouth, Captain Swann. We must fight." That's what he was getting at! Jack was absolutely right, we needed to fight...


	27. Chapter 27: King

**::sigh:: It's been a while since the last update, eh? Well, here it is. I snuck on to give it to ye scallywags! It's not the best I've ever written, but not to bad considering I'm writing with the fear that I could be caught at any minute. I'd better type faster...**

**AND...well, I have a shout out to make for a friend...Mrs.Turner007. Now, she has no idea I'm doing this, but...who cares?! I'm ordering you all, my readers, to go read her story 'The Witch, The Pirate, and the Gypsy' because it's totally one of the greatest stories EVER and she doesn't have the readers that she deserves. Go go read it you foosnits! Or I'll take away all your baking goods! (And yes...I insulted you all Mrs.Turner007 [aka. Bethikins style. SO GO READ IT!)

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**"You've always run away from a fight." Barbossa yelled at Jack who was now on the other side of the table from us.

"Have not!" Jack protested.

"You have so!" Barbossa spat back.

"Have not!" Jack yelled again.

"You have so!" Barbossa also repeated himself. I looked over at Elizabeth and we rolled our eyes. Were they _ever_ going to stop this madness?!

"Have not!"

"You have so and you know it!"

"Have not, slander and calumny." Jack nodded triumphantly. "I have only ever embraced that oldest and noblest of pirate traditions. I submit that here now that is what we all must do. We must fight...to run away!" He smiled from across the table, and I couldn't help but do the same. He'd hit the nail on the head...no one could possibly argue with him now...and he knew it, too!

"Aye!" Gibbs yelled as the ever so faithful mate he's always been.

"Aye!" The pirate group all joined in. Jack had actually done it! My smile grew even larger.

"As per the code an act of war, and this be exactly that, can only be declared by the Pirate King." Barbossa spoke up, and my smile began to fall. A Pirate King?

"You made that up!" Jack accused. I shook my head and looked down at me feet. I'd really thought Jack had been able to find something no one could argue with. Only Barbossa could argue with the irrefutable.

"Did I now?" Barbossa raised his eyebrows in defiance. "I call on Captain Teague, keeper of the code!" My head snapped up to look at him. _Captain Teague?!_ _Keeper of the Code?_ He was alive? And here?! I glanced over toward Jack to see his expression, but he looked almost sickly. Why wouldn't he want to see his own father? He noticed my questioning glance and beckoned me toward him.

"Sri Sumbhajee proclaims this all to be folly!" One of the Lord's assistants stood up to talk while I walked toward Jack. I glanced at the Lord, sitting contently in his chair. Why wouldn't he talk for himself?

"What?" I asked as I stepped next to Jack.

"I just thought I'd warn you..." He began, glancing over his shoulder.

"Hang the code!" The Lord's assistant continued rambling on.

"My father...well..." He paused.

" Who cares a..." Suddenly a gunshot sounded through the room and the assistant fell to the floor, dead. Everyone looked up and we saw Captain Teague, sitting at the top of a flight of stairs with a smoking flintlock in his hand.

"The code is the law." He said blowing the smoke from his gun, though his voice was rougher than I'd remembered it to be. He began to walk down the stairs to join us all.

"My father has changed a lot since you last knew him." Jack finally finished, his eyes fixed on the figure descending the stairs. "As you might be able to tell..."

"Slightly." I mumbled, watching Captain Teague walk toward us.

"You're in my way boy." Captain Teague said, and Jack quickly stepped out of the way to let his father by. Not even a glance my way...well, we all knew that being ignored would come back.

"The code..." I breathed, watching two pirates carry out a huge book and place it on the table. Captain Teague whistled, and a dog came bounding out of nowhere with a set of keys.

"Wait...that can't...how did...?" Ragetti mumbled watching the dog. I have admit, I was thinking the exact same thoughts. How was that dog here?

"Sea turtles, mate." Teague glanced up at them, smiling slightly. I couldn't help but smile a little...it was an old family excuse, I guess.

"Sea turtles!" Pintel repeated, looking frustrated. I looked back toward the code as Captain Teague opened the book. He scanned over the pages before stopping to tap a point on the page.

"Ah! Barbossa is right." He looked up at us all, gathered around him.

"Hang on a minute." Jack motioned for his father to move and started to scan the book for himself. "It shall be the duties of the king to declare war, parley with shared adversaries...fancy that." He stopped, stunned.

"There has not been a king since the first court, and that's not likely to change." One of the Lords spoke up. I had to admit, I liked him. He was probably the only person in the room that hadn't ignored me...

"Not likely." Captain Teague repeated walking off silently. He really was so different than he used to be. Quiet...secluded...gruff...he wasn't anything like the Captain Teague, or Captain Sparrow as I'd called him then, that was my first Captain. And why didn't he go by Sparrow anymore? So many questions...starting with why we wouldn't be able to vote for a king...

"Why not?" Elizabeth asked.

"See, the pirate king is elected by popular vote." Gibbs started to explain.

"And each pirate only ever votes for hisself." Barbossa finished. It made a lot of sense...I would vote for myself if I were one of the Lords.

"I call for a vote." Jack said and all eyes turned toward him, the room deadly quiet save for the slight sound of a guitar being played by Captain Teague in a corner of the room. And, just as predicted, each pirate began to vote for himself.

"I vote for Ammand, the corsiar."

"Captain Chevalle, the pitiless frenchman."

"Sri Sumbhajee votes for Sri Sumbhajee." A new assistant spoke up for the quiet pirate.

"Mistress Ching."

"Gentleman Jocard."

"Elizabeth Swann."

"Barbossa."

"Vallenueva."

"Elizabeth Swann." All eyes snapped to look at Jack. He'd voted for Elizabeth...

"What?!" Elizabeth stared at him. Elizabeth was to be the Pirate King?

"I know. Curious, isn't it?" Jack smiled. Why would he vote for...then it hit me. He knew Elizabeth was on the same side that he was. She would do just what he wanted. But then, the entire room errupted into chaos. Pirates were yelling at each other, and especially at Jack for not voting for them. "Am I to understand that you lot will not be keeping to the code, then?" Jack asked. The loud sound of a snapping guitar string sounded over everything else. All eyes turned toward Captain Teague, and dark angry eyes from him stared back. Slowly, they all sat down, deathy still.

"Very well. What say you Captain Swann, king of the Brethren Court?" Mistress Ching asked.

"Prepare every vessel that floats. At dawn, we're at war." I looked over toward Jack in time to see him nod and smile. He was quite happy with his work. Suddenly, the quiet pirate Lord stood up from his seat at the table.

"And so, we shall go to war!" He exclaimed. My mouth dropped open slightly...his voice! It was so high pitched and girly! I guess there was a major reason he wouldn't talk for himself...


	28. Chapter 28: What Just Happened?

**Sorry I'm taking so long to update, mates. Still grounded. But, I'm sick today, so while my family is at church and I'm home puking, I decided now would be a good time to post, no? Enjoy!**

**Oh, and...I threw in a line for Alli (orlandoluvr2). You'll know what I'm talking about when you read it, mate. If anyone else can catch what I'm talking about, I'll give you extra rum at the next update! **

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Through all the celebration and cheering, my eyes averted to Jack. He was walking over toward his father and I couldn't help but watch them talking. Captain Sparrow with Captain Sparrow...or Teague, rather. They seemed so awkward being around each other. How long had it been since they'd last seen each other? 

I watched Teague hold up something that he seemed to have pulled out of nowhere. Was it...a _head_? I blinked and squinted. I couldn't help but cringe. It _was _a head. I didn't even want to know the story behind it. Suddenly, Jack turned around and walked toward me.

"Come 'ere." He grabbed my arm and pulled me in the direction of his father. We stopped in front of him and for the first time that night, Teague's mouth turned up into a smile...just barely.

"Ye look just like I remember." He said, looking up at me from his seat.

"You look...very different than I remember, Captain." I managed. I couldn't think of anything to say.

"The years no doubt have changed me." He said in his gruff voice. I think I could barely see a flash of pain run through his eyes.

"The years change us all." I nodded in agreement.

"I'll be right back..." Jack said, looking off toward the other pirate lords. I watched him go and then turned my attention back on Teague.

"How long _has_ it been, Captain Sparrow? Ten years? I think it's been even more than that..." I stopped, realizing my mistake. "Captain _Teague_, I mean."

"It's alright, lass." He asuured me.

"If you don't mind my asking...why do you go by Teague, now?" I asked slowly, not sure of how he would react. He hesitated, keeping his eyes down on his guitar. He plucked one of the strings before finally glancing up at me.

"It's me name." He answered simply, starting to play another song on his guitar. It was a beautiful tune, but I knew he was just trying to skirt around the question. I took a deep breath to try again.

"But...you used to go by Sparrow. Why did you decide to change that...?" My voice trailed off as I suddenly felt unsure of myself. He wasn't looking too happy about my question asking. He sighed and slowly stopped playing his song.

"After Jack died," He paused with an almost amused expression on his face. "...the first time..." It was almost funny that he had to clarify which death he meant. "I thought I'd lost all I'd ever caried about. So, I stopped going by Sparrow. I had to let go of the past..." He stopped, and I bit my lip. I couldn't believe he'd been so open with me.

"I understand." I nodded.

"You'd better go, Selesta." He beckoned toward the rest of the room. I turned around and saw the room beginning to clear out; all of the Lords were returning to their ships and their crews were following them. I couldn't even see any of the Pearl's crew. Even Jack was gone...so much for 'I'll be right back'...

"You're right." I nodded. "I hope we can talk again sometime, Captain Teague." I smiled. He looked up at me and shook his head.

"I'll see ye again, lass. Don't say yer goodbyes so soon." He starting playing his tune again, and I nodded. The room was practically empty as I turned to leave. I walked slowly, trying to put off returning to the outside world for as long as possible. I really was so sick of life these days...

"Uh, Selesta…?" I heard Jack's voice behind me. I turned around, surprised to see him standing right behind me.

"What?"He grabbed my shoulders, pulling me closer to him, and before I knew what had happened, he pressed his lips against mine; I almost didn't know how to react! Of course, there was no way I was going to refuse a kiss from that man and soon enough our lips were in a lustful war for dominance over the kiss. But then he pulled away and looked me in the face. He opened his mouth, like he was about to say something.

"Uhhh...blaghtrppph..." He repeated his crazy sound making like he'd done while we were flipping the Pearl. Then he turned and briskly walked away, leaving me breathless after the passionate kiss.

"What just happened?" I managed to mumble while watching his retreating back.

"You two are still at it, then, eh?" I turned around to see Captain Teague still sitting in his chair; he had seen the whole thing.

"Not really." I shook my head and glanced to where I'd last seen Jack. He was now gone.

"Then what was that?" Teague stood up from his seat and began to play another tune on his guitar while he walked toward me.

"I have no idea."


	29. Chapter 29: Through the Fog

**Sorry, guys! Life has been crazily hectic, and I just couldn't figure out how to write this chapter. I hope you guys haven't given up on me story just yet...I'm trying to update whenever I can! Just shoot me a review so I know you're not shunning my incompetence...**

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Back on the Pearl, I tried to help as much as I could, but I couldn't make myself do the work. Every few seconds, I couldn't help but bring my fingers up to my lips...where Jack's had just been. Why did he kiss me and just walk away? It just didn't make sense! I glanced back at him standing at the helm of his beautiful ship, but for what had to be the first time ever, he didn't seem to be as proud to stand there as he usually did...

"You don't look so good, Jaaack." Barbossa drew out his name as was his strange custom as he walked up behind Jack. Jack barely glanced over at him for a few seconds and turned his attention back on the helm.

"I 'ave a lot on me mind." He said. I looked away, not wanting to intervene into their conversation, though I couldn't help but wonder what it was that was on his mind. I guess I hoped it was me...

"Why don't ye let me stand at th' helm. Ye can take a break as it were...think about whatever it is that needs thinkin'..." Barbossa said, taking a step closer to the helm. I rolled my eyes. Did he not understand that Jack would never--

"Fine." Jack's voice stopped all my thoughts. Did he just...is he...willingly letting Barbossa steer the Pearl?! I stared as Jack stepped away from the helm, sure that at any moment my eyes would pop out of my head for being opened so wide. I couldn't believe he would do something like that! What on _earth_ is thinking?!

He walked by me, on his way to the foretop, and I opened my mouth to talk to him. But I couldn't. _Literally nothing_ would come out of my mouth. _Nothing_. He glanced at me, briefly, as he stepped by, and I'm sure I looked like the very picture of a madwoman, standing motionless with my mouth open and my eyes popping out of my skull. I managed to snap back into reality _after_ he'd passed, although I'm sure I'd already left enough of a mark on him that he'd be thinking some strange thoughts about me. I knew I was going to punch myself for it later. We were already confused enough about each other, and there I had to go and make it worse...

With a heavy sigh and my little heart necklace clasped in my hand, I turned around and leaned against the starboard rail, staring out to sea like I always did when I was thinking hard. Off in the distance I saw what looked like fog, slowly approaching the ship. Great. Fog was just the thing we needed to make this situation even worse than it already was.

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"I cannot see a thing!" I complained, stumbling along the deck. The fog was _thick_. Really thick, and it was almost impossible to see more than two feet in front of your own nose. "Is there really a fleet of pirates following us?"

"Aye. You can hear 'em through the fog if you listen carefully." I heard someone say behind me. Spinning around, I tried to see who'd said that...but I couldn't see anyone. It was more than slightly creepy.

"Uh...thanks." I mumbled. "Whoever you were..." I think it might have been one of the crew members as I'd not really recongized the voice. We'd spent the last few hours getting all of the pirate ships together. Slowly, the fog had come in while we were gathering together, and now we were wandering aimlessly through the fog, hoping with every fiber of our being that no ships would run into each other. Fog was so, so dangerous for sailing. "Oof!" I grunted as someone ran into me and I fell to the deck. "Watch it!" I brushed myself off and stood up. Turning around I saw that it was Jack.

"I uh...sorry." He murmered, walking away. I shook my head and sighed. What was us with the two of us? And why had he bloody kissed me?! I just couldn't get over it...

I pushed it out of my mind and thought back to the weather. I felt a breeze run over the ship, and I instantly started to hope that it would carry the fog away with it. I sat down, with my back to a barrel so to keep anyone from sneaking up on me from behind, and I watched the fog. It drifted through the air so nonchalantly that I felt like screaming! We had a battle to fight, and we sure couldn't do it with this bloody fog here. In spite of the situation, I yawned. It had been awile since I'd gotten an actual good night's rest. I was pretty tired. Well, maybe if I just sit here and rest for a while...I'll just...

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"The enemy is here!" I jolted awake at the sound of Marty's yelling and the cheers of the crew. When did I even fall asleep?! "Let's take 'em!" I slowly stood up and glanced around. The fog had finally lessened, and EITC ships could easily be seen creeping through the fog on the horizon. But...they just kept comming. And comming. Everyone glanced around at once another. _None _of us had expected that Beckett would have _this _many ships...

"Abandon ship! Abandon ship!" I heard Cotton's parrot squawking as he flew from Cotton's shoulder and away from the ship. I almost wished I could go with him. We were up against an armada.

"Parley?" Jack spoke up in the silence. I seemed a parley was our only option at the moment...we were so in over our heads...


	30. Chapter 30: Parley

**Okays...new chapter. This one has some memories in it while Selesta waits...and waits...and waits. It's kinda short, so I appologize. But at least I updated, right? Thanks a million times to my readers for sticking with me during my time of slow updates! Rum and cookies to you guys!**

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Raising a white flag above the Pearl, we waited for a response from the flagship of the English Armada. No doubt Beckett was aboard giving direct orders himself. After a bit of waiting, we saw another white flag being raised on the flagship. Time for a parley. I walked toward Elizabeth, awaiting orders from our own leader. Parleys, typically, were held on either the enemy's ship itself or on the closest spit of land. As I watched the flagship sailing toward the mini-island out in the sea instead of toward us, I knew which Beckett had chosen. I glanced back over toward Elizabeth, watching her expressions, trying to figure out what she was going to say.

"Jack, Barbossa, and I will go for the parley." Elizabeth finally spoke to all of us aboard the Pearl. As much as I wanted to argue with her, I couldn't. She was the King, after all. And according to the King, I wasn't going. I took a deep breath and glanced back toward the flagship of the Armada. I could see the crew now...a crew that was wearing uniforms. Needless to say, I wanted to gag. Oh, how I despised the British navy...

After Elizabeth, Barbossa, and Jack were well out on their way in the jolly boat, which they had made Jack row by _himself_, the murmuring of our ship began again. Everyone was talking, saying things like: 'What was going to happen to us?' or 'After we lost, would they kill us or save us for the gallows?' I don't think, with everything that was said, that a single positive word could be heard. Was our cause so lost that we stood no chance at all? I shuddered to think that after everything we'd been through, our end would be like this.

Both sides of the parley were on land, now, our side walking toward a patiently waiting enemy. I forced myself to walk away, not wanting to watch and have to wonder what they were saying. We waited. And waited. And waited. And I thought about everything imaginable...about Jack, and what we no longer had; about Elizabeth, about Will; about my father, my mother, and my old life back in England. I especially thought about the old days on the Pearl, back when I was thirteen, seeing her for the first time...

_We walked up to the port and I glanced around to try to find the Ship. I automatically knew which one it was. It's black sails blew in the wind, and the crew rested along the edge of the dock._

_"Welcome to the Black Pearl, Campbell." The man said my father's name as if he had known him for years. Suddenly I grew suspicious but, I said nothing about the man._

_"The Black Pearl?" I questioned my father._

_"The name of the ship."_

I smiled, thinking of how naiive I'd acted that day. The day I'd finally realized that not all pirates were heartless sods. I thought on, to the day that I met Jack, to the day that he kissed me, the day I'd fallen overboard...it all seemed so far away. I yearned for those days again! Life was so less complicated back then...

And of course, along with my distant memories, I thought about not-so-distant memories...like Jack kissing me in Shipwreck Cove. You'd think that with death staring me in the face I'd stop thinking about him for at least a minute...but I couldn't. I still loved him, and with that kiss, maybe he still loved me. I shook my head and forced my thoughts elsewhere. Impossible.

"They're comming back!" A voice from the crew snapped me back into reality. I ran over to the side of the ship and saw the jolly boat slowly making its way back to the Pearl. There's Elizabeth...Barbossa...but who's rowing? That's not Jack. It's..._Will?_

_Where's Jack?!_


	31. Chapter 31: Where's Jack?

**Alright, I appologize that it's another short one, but I've been having trouble finding time to write. My school play has been demanding a lot of time for practices, but the first performance is tonight, so hopefully that will loosen up my schedule!**

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_Will?_ Where was Jack?! I ran to the bow and strained my eyes to look toward the sandbar. Three people were walking away in the distance. One was easily identifiable as Davy Jones, another was extremely short, and therefore could only be Beckett, and the other...the other I could recognize from a mile away. _It was Jack._

We all gathered around them as the three of them climbed aboard the ship. Elizabeth first, then Barbossa...then Will. I took a deep breath and blinked back a few tears. If things went wrong while he was in enemy hands, and things usually _did_ tend to go wrong, then I would _never_ know what that kiss was about.

"Where's Jack?" Gibbs finally spoke what everyone was thinking. All eyes were fixed on Elizabeth. Especially mine.

"He's doing his duty to the Brethren, and I expect all of you to do the same during the battle." She spat, clearly annoyed.

"So there is to be a battle." Ragetti spoke up, looking worriedly toward the armada. I wanted to follow his gaze, I even tried to move, but I couldn't. I was numb. Utterly and completely numb. And I couldn't take my eyes off the Pirate King. All I could think was _why? Why?!_

"Aye. There's to be a battle." Elizabeth said curtly, walking up the steps to the poop, glancing only momentarily to look at the armada. I finally made myself move, slowly at first, and then very, very quickly toward Elizabeth. I grabbed her shoulder and turned her around, none too gently.

"What happened out there?" I asked; I could feel my intense glare making her nervous.

"Selesta, I..."

_"What happened?!" _I demanded again, feeling my emotions welling up inside of me. I had a feeling I was about to burst.

"It had to be done, Selesta, please understand what I'm saying." She paused, but I said nothing. More anger bubbled in my chest. "I know that..."

"Why did it have to be done?" I pressed, my anger starting to take over. I knew I needed to calm down, but I just couldn't do it.

"Well, I..." She started, but I cut her off.

"So you could get Will back? So _you_ could be happy?! What about me? _What about Jack?!_" I paused to take a deep breath, finally trying to compose myself. "You do realize what they're planning to do with him? You realize you've killed him for the second time, don't you?" She looked away from me, refusing to meet my eyes.

"I did what I needed to do for the Brethren." She said, her voice sounding shaky. "And I'm sorry if you don't understan..."

"What about me?" I asked the question again, the anger fading into pure sadness. "I can hardly believe my best friend would betray me like this..."

"Selesta, how is this possibly hurting you?!" She snapped, finally looking back at me. "You said it was over between the two of you. Back in Port Royal you _insisted_ that you wanting nothing, _nothing_ to do with the man!"

"I was wrong." I looked down at my feet, hiding behind an expressionless countenance. "Things have happened, and I thought for a while that we might have stood a chance. But not anymore." I took a step away from her, starting to turn to go back to the deck.

"Selesta...what happened?" She asked, taking a step toward me.

"Oh, like you care." I spat, spinning on my heel and stomping away. I think I heard her saying something to me as I walked away, but I could hardly listen. I was thinking..._thinking_...


	32. Chapter 32: Our Final Hope

**Sorry I took so long to update! I had a HUGE AP test to study for, but I finally took it, and have more time to write! Yay!**

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After my confrontation with Elizabeth, I stood at the port rail of the ship, gripping my necklace tight in my palm and staring out at the fleet. I had no idea how anything in my life could possible turn in a good direction after everything that had been happening.

"Are you alright?" I heard a voice behind me. I turned around to see Will standing just next to me.

"Hardly." I grumbled, involuntarily glancing toward Elizabeth.

"I know you were hoping I was someone else when I got back on the Pearl, but don't worry about him too much. If there's one thing I've learned about Jack, it's that he always has a plan." He stopped momentarily, then opened his mouth again. "And even if his plan doesn't work, things still always work out for him. Just try not to hate Elizabeth too much." He added, before walking away toward said hated woman. I tried to let what he said sink in, it did make sense after all, but that feeling was still eating away at my stomach. No matter what I told myself, no matter what others told me, I knew in my gut that something was going to go horribly, horribly wrong...

"We need to use the Black Pearl as a flagship to lead the attack." I heard Elizabeth say.

"Will we now?" Barbossa said, with an edge that made me turn to look at him. He was smiling triumphantly, and behind him was Tia Dalma, Calypso, bound in ropes and being lead from the hold. My jaw dropped. _He wouldn't dare._

"Barbossa, you can't release her!" Will said, watching Tia being lead up the stairs. Before I knew it, we were surrounded by crew members with pistols. It seems Barbossa would dare to do it...

"We have to give Jack a chance!" Elizabeth piped up. I turned to glare at her, pure furry in my heart. _Now_ she decides that Jack should be given a chance?! It was her fault in the first place that he was in enemy hands!

"Apologies your majesty, too long my fate has not been in me own hands, no longer." Barbossa grabbed ahold of her necklace, her piece of eight, and jerked it off of her neck. Ragetti walked toward Barbossa, holding a wooden bowl. Barbossa tossed Elizabeth's piece of eight, and it didn't take long for me to figure out that the rest of the pieces of eight were probably in there, as well.

"Be there some manner of rite of incantation?" Gibbs asked, watching the bowl. In spite of the warmth of the Caribbean air, I shivered. I was really nervous about everything. That gut feeling in my stomach was feeling worse and worse with what was happening, and I was really starting to feel like I needed to puke.

"Aye. The items brought together, done. Items to be burned," He paused, while Gibbs poured rum into the bowl. Easier to burn that way, I guess. "and someone must speak the words 'Calypso I release you from your human bonds'."

"Is that it?" Pintel asked, looking doubtful. I myself was doubtful, too. It seemed far too simple.

"To said it must be spoken as if to a lover." Barbossa smiled. _Ugh. Men._ "Calypso! I release you from your human bonds!" He barked out and started the fire in the bowl. Suddenly, I realized why that man was alone, and why he'd be alone for the rest of his life. It was _not_ said as if speaking to a lover...

"Is that it?" Pintel asked again. Looking more doubtful than ever. Nothing was happening.

"No no no, you didn't say it right." Ragetti spoke up. "He didn't...you, you have to say it right." He stammered. This would be interesting. "Calypso." He took a step closer to her. "I release you from your human bonds." He spoke softly...as if speaking to a lover! It was surprising! Then, it started to happen. Her head rolled back, as if she was in pain, and the items in the bowl began to smoke. She leaned in, and took a deep breath of the smoke.

"Tia Dalma!" Will yelled next to me. "Calypso!" Her eyes snapped open to look at him. "When the Brethren Court first imprisoned you, who was it that told them how? Who was it that betrayed you?" It took me a moment to understand what he was doing, but when I did, I silently thanked him for it. He was making sure she would be on our side...

"Name him!" She yelled, her voice seeming like it was struggling to work.

"Davy Jones." Will said, grimacing at the name. And then...then she began to grow. I couldn't take my eyes off of her, she started becoming inhuman in size. Larger, larger, and larger she grew until she was the size of the Pearl's main mast! My breath almost failed me.

"This is it! This is it!" Pintel yelled, as they all began to back up, the ropes that held Tia pulling from their hands. This _is_ it...

"Calypso!" Barbossa yelled, as we all bowed down before her. There was no possibility that we would allow any of us to do anything that would make her upset. Somehow we knew that an angry goddess would not be a good thing. "I come before you as but a servant, humble and contrite. I have fulfilled my vow and now ask your favor. Spare meself, me ship, me crew, but unleash your fury upon those who dare pretend themselves your masters." He paused, "or mine." I rolled my eyes in spite of the situation. Of course he would add something like that. I looked back at Calypso in time to see her smiling. Maybe my feeling was wrong after all. But no, it wasn't. Her smiled changed to a glare, and she began to yell, her voice suddenly impeccably loud and noticeably lower.

"Malfaiteur en Tombeau, Crochir l'Esplanade, Dans l'Fond d'l'eau!" She began to shake her head, and as she did, she began to change forms. From human, to crabs; they poured down over the ship and into the water. I ducked down on the deck, trying to cover myself, but I got hit numerous times by the goddess' crabs. Suddenly, nothing. Everything was quiet.

"Is that it?" Will asked, looking around.

"Why, she's no help at all..." Pintel said, looking defeated.

"What now, Barbossa?" I asked, glaring at him. I knew releasing her was not a good idea; I never had liked her all that much.

"Nothing." He answered. "Our final hope has failed us." I looked away from him and back toward the _Endeavor_ where I knew Jack was. Was it true? Did we stand no chance at all? Everything had happened so fast and now it seemed it was all comming to an abrupt end. _What now?_


	33. Chapter 33: Hoist the Colours

**Mates, I am truly unhappy to have to tell you this, but through an unfortunate and entirely unforeseeable series of circumstances that had nothing whatsoever to do with me, I may have much less time to write. As you all may or may not know, I have a laptop that has been given to me by my school. Well, since there is no school during summertime, they won't let us keep these computers during the summer; ergo, I won't have mine. And aye, I have another computer at home, but I have to share this one with my family, which means _WAY_ less time for me.**

**I'm so sorry, but I promise I'm gonna try harder to update at least once more after this before my computer is taken, body and soul, to a place not of death, but of punishment. Just kidding. But I am gonna try to update before they do take it.**

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The wind started blowing as we stood motionless aboard the Pearl. What were we going to do? Nothing was working for us, and now we were all staring in the face of death, with virtually no chance for survival.

"It's not over." I heard Elizabeth say, and I turned to see her staring up at the sky. I followed her gaze, noticing that the weather was changing quickly. _Calypso?_

"There's still a fight to be had." Will added.

"We've an armada against us, and with the Dutchman there's no chance!" Gibbs shook his head, speaking my mind. How could we possibly win?

"I don't know if it can be done." I said, looking over at the armada on the horizon. It was almost terrifying to think that we might actually try to fight _that_.

"There's only a fool's chance." Elizabeth agreed sadly, also looking over at the armada.

"Revenge won't bring your father back, Miss Swann, and it's not something I'm intending to die for." Barbossa shook his head and Elizabeth and I stared at the enemy. I felt a pang of guilt remembering back to the locker at everything that had happened and everyone we'd lost so far. The rest of us survived virtually unscathed from it all. So far.

"You're right." Elizabeth said, turning around to face him. "Then what shall we die for?" She walked through the crowd, with Will and I following behind her. "You will listen to me. Listen!" She yelled, climbing onto the railing of the Pearl. What was she doing? "The Brethren will still be looking here to us, to the Black Pearl to lead, and what will they see? Frightened bilge rats aboard a derelict ship? No. No, they will see free men and freedom! And what the enemy will see is the flash of our cannons, they will hear the ring of our swords and they will know what we can do! By the sweat of our brows and the strength of our backs and the courage of our hearts. Gentleman, hoist the colours." I stood on the deck of the ship, looking up at her with my mouth open. I'd forgotten. I'd forgotten exactly why we were fighting. I'd been thinking only of how it was impossible, and how we'd never do it. I'd forgotten that we were fighting for our freedom, for our lives, and for the very way of life itself. I'd forgotten. I think we all had, and Elizabeth finally reminded us of what we could do...

"Hoist the colours." Will said beside me. Hope was arising in my chest.

"Hoist the colours." Ragetti said, louder, as the confidence began to spread throughout the crew.

"Hoist the colours!" Pintel yelled, everyone now feeling the strength and hope that we'd been lacking. We were going to fight!

"Aye, the wind's on our side boys! That's all we need!" Gibbs yelled, and I knew there, I knew right there as we raised the Black Pearl's jolly roger into the air, atop the mainmast, that we really could do it. I knew in my heart that we were capeable of doing it.

So, why would that stupid feeling in my gut not leave me alone?

* * *

I'm wet. _Really_ wet.

It's raining. Unnaturally raining so hard, you'd think the sky held a grudge against us. Unfortunately...that was the case.

"Have you noticed on top of everthing else, it's raining?!" Pintel said, walking up behind me.

"That's a bad sign!" Ragetti said, never too far behind his friend.

"Keep a positive mind." I snapped, turning around to look at them. "That's one of the few things we do have." I added. The nodded, understanding where I was comming from. We did not have time to lose any morale. I looked up at the sky again. Calypso was really not a fun person to be around...

"Man the capstan, ready to make top yards! Keep that powder dry!" Gibbs yelled, atop all the confusion. We were all rushing around the ship, sailing toward the Endeavor, trying to do everything we could to prepare for the battle that was comming up and to keep the ship from foundering. It was really difficult, as everyone was working our butts off on all the everyday work that had to be done and also getting the guns ready while having to work exta hard because of the storm. I ran toward the side of the ship to help with the cannons when I noticed the water was looking kind of strange. It was...funneling...

"MALESROME!"


	34. Chapter 34: Maelstrom

**Man, guys, I'm really sorry about how long it's been since I last updated. Things have been crazy in my life and I just haven't had time to write. But, here's the next chapter, and I've already started on the next one if that makes you all feel a little better...**

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I had heard of maelstroms and the terrible stories that saliors would tell about them. Never in my life did I think I would see one, let alone be sailing straight toward one. And yet we sailed on toward it, every one of us stricken to the core. How would we make it through _that_? No one could possibly sail through it...except maybe...

"Captain Barbossa!" I yelled, turning around to face him. "We need you at the helm."

"Aye that be true." He jumped behind the wheel. "Brace up yards ye cack headed dinkies! Dying is a day worth living for." I took a deep breath and looked toward the abyss. And down we went, right into the swirling waters...

"She's on our stern and gaining!" Will yelled through the sheets of rain that came pouring down. I think the weather was getting worse every second.

"More speed!" Barbossa yelled. "Haul yer wind and hold yer water!" My eyes locked behind us toward the Dutchman. She was gaining speed behind us, she was...she was aiming her guns! I heard them fire as I saw the flash of light and I ducked down as best I could, hoping I wouldn't get hit. Thankfully I didn't, but the Pearl was hit, and if we didn't do something, she was going to take some damage...

"Take us out or they'll overbear us!" Will yelled to Barbossa.

"Nay, further in, we're going to cross to faster waters." He yelled back. I glanced back toward the Maelstrom and held my breath. Further in? How much further could we go without foundering?

"Prepare to broadside!" Elizabeth yelled, standing next to me. I glanced back at the Dutchman. Jack is on that ship and we're going to fire at him...

"Captain the guns! Pair a hand!" Gibbs yelled, down on the main deck.

"Muster your courage, men, at the ready!" Will yelled, running down the stairs to be of further help.

"No point in me standing here worrying myself to death..." I mumbled, following Will down to the main deck. Running toward the cannons, I began to help load, doing all that I could.

"Batten down the hatches!" Gibbs ordered before disappearing below deck. I up from the cannon I was loading and I looked toward the Dutchman, we were almost dead across from each other. I looked back down at the connon I was stooped over...soon, very soon...

"Hold it! Wait til we're board to board!" I heard Gibbs voice comming from below the deck. Through the pouring rain, I heard that voice in my head again...things are gonna get worse, things are gonna get worse...and that feeling in my gut was the worst it had ever been. Why was I feeling like this? I just didn't make sense! But before I could do anything about it, the order came...

"FIRE!"

"FIRE!" Elizabeth repeated.

"FIRE! FIRE ALL!" Gibbs voice came up from the below deck.

"FIRE!" Will yelled.

And every cannon fired, the deafining sound roaring in tune with the thunder and lightening from the storm. Once again I ducked the cannonballs and the debris flying through the air.

"It be too late to alter course now, matey!" Barbossa shouted above everything else, oddly amused at everything that was happening. Down we went...even further into the maelstrom. "Prepare to board! The rest of ye, prepare for them on the Dutchman who'll be boardin'!" I looked over again at the Dutchman and...was that Jack?! I shook my head. It was just wishful thinking.

About half of the crew lined up along the side of the ship, waiting for the order. "Boarding party away!" The words were yelled, and away they went, yelling like banshees as they approached the Dutchman. At the same time, their boarding party boarded along the side of the Pearl. I grabbed ahold of my sword and began to fight in what was possibly the most important battle that would be seen in my lifetime...


	35. Chapter 35: I Do

**Hello, mates! I wrote this chapter and I think you'll like it. It was one of my favorite scenes in the movie, so I tried pretty hard on this chapter. Hope its good! Oh, and the next one WILL be much longer. I promise.**

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Every sound was mixing together. The ringing of clashing swords, the scream of defeat and writhing agony, and the yell of victory. I couldn't think, I just did everything I could do for survival.

"Elizabeth!" I heard Will's voice mix into the fight. He sounded desprate. "Elizabeth, will you marry me?!" _What?!_

"I don't think now's the best time!" I turned around to see both of them fighting, surrounded just like the rest of us. What was Will thinking?

"Now may be the only time!" He yelled, grabbing her out of combat. "I love you." A pang of jealousy shot through my stomach. How badly I wanted to hear those words again. "I've made my choice!" Will's voice pulled me back to the reality that I was still fighting for my life, and I struggled to defeat my opponent. "What's yours?"

"Barbossa!" She yelled. _Barbossa? What is she..._ "Marry us!" _Oh..._

"I'm a little busy at the moment." He yelled back. I knew this was it. They had to do this now, and I needed to appologize to Elizabeth. I know I would have done the exact same thing she did if I were in her shoes. This was going to be her special moment, and I needed to do all that I could.

"Barbossa, now!" Will yelled.

"No!"

"Barbossa, do this!" I yelled, thrusting my sword into the EITC soldier I was fighting. It sounds distasteful, I'm sure, but it was very satisfying to do. _Take that Beckett. Not so high and mighty while we're distroying your navy, eh?_ I ran up to the deck where Barbossa was still at the helm. "Do this." I glanced back down at the two. Will was fighting, but Elizabeth was looking up at me with wonder on her face. 'I'm sorry.' I mouthed, and she nodded. I was forgiven again.

"Fine, then." Barbossa said, climbing onto the rail by the helm. Once again I was locked into another one-on-one combat, though this time I was fighting one of Jones' monster crewmen. I was intimidated. "Dearly beloved we be gathered here today...to nail yer gizzard to the mast, ye poxy cur!" I glanced back at Barbossa. That wasn't turning out to be the best improvisational wedding...

"Elizabeth Swann, do you take me to be your husband?" Will yelled through the tempest.

"I do!" She yelled excitedly.

"Great!"

"Will Turner, do you take me..." Elizabeth paused to fight. I ran down the steps to help fight off atttackers. Maybe this wedding would work better with less enemies interrupting them. "...to be your wife?" I ran my sword into the closest enemy. Another EITC crewmen. _Hadn't I seen him somewhere before? Oh, well..._ "In sickness and in health, with health being the less likely."

"I do." Will said, pulling her close. Another jealous pang ran through me, but I pushed it out. They deserved this.

"As Captain, I now pronounce you..." Barbossa's voice rang through the air. "You may kiss..." He yelled, followed by his strangely amused laugh and a gun shot. "You may kiss..." He yelled again. "Just kiss!" He shouted, clearly sick of being cut off every time he spoke. I slammed my sword into my opponent and turned around to see Elizabeth and Will lean into each others' embrace and kiss. Elizabeth and William Turner...

But it was not to last, once again they parted, fighting as hard as anyone. The feeling in my gut started up once again, and I almost wanted to scream. Why the heck was this stupid feeling bothering me? I looked around, checking to see if there was anyone nearby that would want me dead. Instead, I saw Will, staring at the Dutchman. _What is he looking a...Jack!_ My breath almost failed me. He was hanging from the rigging! And then, in an instant he was flying through the air, swinging on a rope. I had to get over there. I ran to the side of the ship and grabbed the closest rope I could find, held my breath, and jumped.


	36. Chapter 36: Numb

**I got my laptop back! Yay! I'm hoping I'll be able to get back into the groove of things and start writing more frequently once again...**

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Swinging onto the deck, I took one look around and found that I had made a mistake. The fighting on the Dutchman was even more intense than the fighting on the Pearl. I took a deep breath and dove into the fight, the droning sound of the clashing of swords taking over my mind once again. A quick thrust of my sword, and my opponent was down. I frantically turned around and once again saw Will, though this time on the Dutchman. He was holding the chest and fighting one of the members of Jones' crew...without a sword. I rushed over to where he was to help, when out of nowhere, Jack the monkey flew into his opponent's face.

"Thank you, Jack!" He said, watching the monkey. No longer needed, I turned around to continue the fight. Once again, all thoughts were banished from my mind other than those of fighting for my life. The wind and rain hadn't let up either and with the blood and water pooling on the deck, the wood was extremely slippery. I fell.

I slid down the steps that lead from the quarterdeck to the main deck and I prayed that I could get up before anyone got it in their mind to kill me. I felt like I fell forever, holding my breath while struggling to gain control of myself again. '_Crap, crap, crap! Get up, woman!'_I thought, pushing myself up from the deck and falling once more. Finally, I grabbed ahold of the rail and pulled myself to a stand. I turned back around to face the deck and saw none other than Jack. Standing right there. Jack.

"Jack!" I yelled, trying to get his attention. He didn't turn to face me. "Jack!" I yelled again. He turned, but not toward me. He turned the complete opposite away and started running. _What?!_

Then I realized that Jones was standing right there, chasing him. Around and around the capstan they went, almost like a child's game, though much more deadly and dangerous. They stopped, Jack clearly terrified and Jones clearly annoyed. A moment's pause, and Jones started walking _through_ the capstan. My jaw dropped. Jack quickly reached out and spun the capstan, laughing while Jones spun around. It would have been funny if the capstan hadn't stopped spinning with Jones directly facing Jack. He growled, Jack screamed and ran, and he began to chase him again. "Oh, man..." I mumbled, completely unsure of what to do.

I could either follow them, or stop and actually think this through. Well...

Common sense had never worked for me before. I quickly drew my sword and chased after them. My plan was no where near close to working, though. As soon as I reached an area within ten feet of Jack, I was spotted by what seemed like every enemy on the ship. I could barely breathe, I had to work so hard to fight. A few at a time found other prey, but I still had to work harder and harder. _Stab one, slash at another. Parry, parry, thrust. _But I couldn't stop every attack...

"Ahhh!" I exclaimed as a sword crashed into my arm, slicing at the skin. Awful, searing pain...but I had to fight on.

"Alright, then!" I heard someone behind me exclaim. Was it Jones? "You'll see no mercy from me!"

"That's why I brought this!" A female voice retorted. I turned around to see Elizabeth fighting Jones with all of her strength. Even I could see she didn't have enough strength to fight him. She needed help. With a quick glance down at my left arm, the sleeve of my shirt starting to stain red, I took a deep breath and ran toward her; I hoped there wouldn't be more pain to come.

"Elizabeth!" I yelled, she glanced barely in my direction and I immediately felt bad for it. He quickly took advantage of her distraction and took the upper-hand in the fight. I jumped toward him and joined in the duel. Even our two against his one was near impossible. He was an excellent swordsman, I'd give him that. Soon enough Elizabeth was disarmed and I was kicked to the ground, my head spinning, barely conscious. I tried to stand, but I couldn't. Colors swirled through my vision; everything mixed together...

"Master Turner." I heard through my confusion and pain. "Did you forget? I'm a heartless wretch!" I thought I heard the sound of bending metal, but I couldn't be sure. What was happening? Yes, I felt pain, but that same unsettling feeling that something terrible was going to happen felt worse than ever. I began to panic, and I forced myself to struggle toward the rail of the ship. I was going to pull myself up; I was going to stand. "Ahh, love. A dreadful bond. And yet, so easily severed." I listened carefully as I pulled myself up, my eyes closed in fear that I would get too dizzy to pull myself up. Both my arm and my head were throbbing. "Tell me, William Turner..." I grabbed the top of the railing with my good arm and pulled myself up, eyes still closed. "Do you fear death?" My eyes snapped open as he said the terrible words and I took in everything around me. Elizabeth was sprawled out on one side of Jones and Will on the other side. A sword was sticking out of Jones' chest and his own sword was pointed at Will. My heart stopped as the terrible feeling intensified. I couldn't breathe.

"Do you?!" Another voice called out through the torrent as I began to regain my balance. Jack was the one who had spoken. I turned to see him standing not too far from me, holding a heart and a mangled sword. It was Jones' heart. He was going to stab it and I would lose him forever to the Dutchman.

"You're a cruel man Jack Sparrow." If he didn't stab it, Elizabeth would lose Will forever.

"Cruel is a matter of perspective." I glanced at Elizabeth again. Her face was terrified and I knew she was thinking the same thoughts I was. However, she wanted things to turn out one way and I wanted them to go in another direction. My head started to spin again, though this time not because I'd hit it on the deck. I was going to lose him again. Three bloody times was too much for one person to be able to handle. I was going to lose him. My heart thudded so quickly in my chest I thought it was going to bust.

"Is it now?" Jones smirked. Before anyone could even think to react, his sword thrust into Will's heart. The horrible feeling disappeared from the pit of my stomach. I felt nothing.

Numbness swept over me and I gave up my fight to stand. I crumpled to the ground. _There was no hope. Everything was gone._


	37. Chapter 37: Alive?

**Wow...so it's been a while, eh? I'm sorry guys. Life has been hectic and I haven't gotten a chance to write. I guess that's what school, band, dance, church, and a boyfriend will do to you. Especially the boyfriend part...**

**Anywho...I know I've been horrible and you have every right to hate me after leaving you for month after month with that horrible chapter...but here's the next one if anyone even remembers my story. Lol.**

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_

_How could this have happened?_

I could dimly hear Elizabeth saying Will's name, over and over again. He was dying; it was pointless. I glanced over at her, my eyes filling with tears. I tried to avoid looking at William, the sword still swaying from his chest. But I saw him anyway, slowly and painfully clinging to life. But he was dying; Will, my childhood friend, was dying.

"William." I heard a deeper voice. "My son!" I looked over in just enough time to dive out of the way. Bootstrap was running toward Davy Jones, a knife in hand. Everything began happening at once: Elizabeth's voice grew desperate and Will's breathing began to slow. Jones and Bootstrap were fighting harder than I'd seen anyone fight. I stood, unsure of what to do. Then I saw Jack, still standing in the same way I'd seen him last; frozen in place, a confused look on his face. He still held the heart in his hands, his sword raised a few mere inches from it. Just one movement on his part, and I would lose him forever to the bounding life of the Dutchman. Losing Will and Jack in the same day? Why was life so cruel?!

And then he moved in a motion so blindingly fast, I barely saw what he was doing. He knelt down beside Will, grabbed his hand, and forced him to hold the mangled sword. He placed the heart down onto the deck, right next to Will.

"Jack?" I called, my voice weaker than I'd thought it could be. "What are you...?" Then I stopped. I knew what he was doing. He raised the sword, still in Will's hand, over the heart. And then he dropped it. The blade pierced through the flesh, thudding against the wooden deck. And everything began to happen in slow motion. Will's breathing stopped, Elizabeth became even more desperate, clinging to her husband. Jones staggered back, mumbling to himself, and fell overboard. My eyes locked onto Jack as he glanced around I began to hear a murmering.

"Part of the crew, part of the ship." It began quietly, and became louder and louder as the entire crew of the dutchman join in the chant.

"What are they talking about?" I backed away from the crew, moving closer and closer to Jack.

"Not what. Who." He glanced down at Will.

"You mean...they're going to..." My voice trailed off and I looked down at Will. Elizabeth still clung to him in disbelief. "We have to get off the ship!" Jack nodded and stepped toward Elizabeth.

"No! No! No!" She cried, as desperate as ever. "Don't leave me! I won't leave you!" Jack grabbed her, dragging her away. She would never leave on her own, but we _had _to get her away from all of this. We hurried toward the fore port railing, Elizabeth and I still sobbing. Jack let go of her and began to fiddle with the line nearby. I numbly watched him, refusing to look back at what was happening. I could never stand to see it...

"Hold on to me!" Jack said to both of us, grabbing ahold of the set of ropes and knots he had made. We did, and before my senses allowed me to understand what had happened, we were flying through the air on a parachute, headed toward the Pearl. Watching the Dutchman below us, we saw it going down, engulfed by the sea. Elizabeth tried to stiffle a new set of sobs. He was really gone. I looked up at Jack, my arms clinging around his slinder waist for dear life. As much as I'd wanted this before, it felt wrong now. Jack and I were never going to get things worked out. My life would never be as it was before...

* * *

"Jack, the armada's still out there, the Endeavour's coming up hard to starboard, and I think it's time we embraced that oldest and noblest of pirate traditions..."

We climbed aboard the Pearl, everyone swarming around us. Elizabeth and I were silent, our tears subsided for the time being.

"I've never actually been one for tradition." Jack said, walking toward the center of the deck. We were still going to fight?? "Luff the sails and lay on iron!"

"Belay that, or we'll be a sitting duck." Barbossa yelled.

"Belay that 'belay that'!" Jack yelled back.

"But Captain..." Gibbs started to say.

"Belay!" Jack repeated.

"The armada..." Gibbs tried again.

"Belay!"

"The Endeavour..."

"Kindly shut it!" Jack exclaimed, exasperated. Gibbs did shut it, though. We all turned to look at the armada; it was looking as menacing as ever but we continued on, sailing toward it. I took a deep breath and looked over toward Elizabeth. Only an hour ago, I was yelling at her for sending Jack away to his death. Now, Jack was standing proudly on his ship and her husband was dead. I took a deep ragged breath and turned toward Jack. Just the sight of him tightened my chest and brought my breath to a standstill. 'I swear, if we both make it through this, I'm going to try as best as I can to fix things between us.'

Suddenly, out of nowhere, a huge watery sound rose up next to us. I turned, expecting the worst that Calypso could give, but instead I saw a ship. It was the Dutchman! I looked over the ship, and to my surprise, the crew members were all human again! And even the ship itself had changed from its cursed state to a beautiful, clean vessel. But that would mean...

_Will!_ He was standing at the Helm, giving the commands. He was alive! I glanced over toward Elizabeth. She was all smiles, tears of disbelief welling up in her eyes. She caught my glance and we both smiled even larger. We were both forgiven again...

"Full canvas!" Jack ordered, smiling as well. It was all because of him. He had saved Will's life!

"Aye, full canvas!" Barbossa agreed. We sailed on, faster than ever toward the Endeavour, the Pearl headed toward her port side and the Dutchman toward her starboard.

"Ready the guns!" Jack yelled, a hint of adventure and amusement mixing in his voice. I began to gain hope...maybe there was a chance. "Fire on my order." Closer and closer we sailed, til at last we were prow to prow with the Endeavour.

"Cap'n?"

"Fire."


	38. Chapter 38: Saved by the Hat

**I'm gonna do it! I really am! I'm gonna stop being a stupid-head, and I'm going to actually start re-posting chapters! Woot! Anywho, thanks again to my readers. I really does feel great to get back to this...**

**By the way, this is one chapter that I've been longing to write for quite some time. Since I started writing the first story-The Legend of Captain Jack Sparrow-, actually. So...FINALLY...its here!**

* * *

"FIRE!" Gibbs yelled. Adrenaline pulsed through my body as the ship rumbled with cannonfire. The Endeavour was being blown to smithers, and had yet to put up a fight against us. It didn't make sense, but I wasn't going to argue against it. We were destroying them!

"FIRE ALL!" Elizabeth yelled next to me, setting off another round of blasts. I stood, watching the Endeavour disappearing into splinters, her crew diving off the ship, and Beckett no where to be seen. Finally, with the last round of shots from both the Pearl and the Dutchman, she was gone, disappearing into the dark, unforgiving waters of the sea. The Endeavour was gone. Beckett was dead.

"They're turning away!" Marty yelled, pointing toward the armada. They were turning away! We'd won the fight! I looked around at all the celebrations, hats flying through the air in celebration and loud, boisterous yells of victory. I smiled taking it all in...and then, out of no where, a hat hit me in the face.

"Of course. Stupid pirates..." I mumbled, looking down at the hat. And then I froze. I knew this hat very well. It was Jack's. I stooped down and picked it up, handling it carefully. Looking up at the helm, I could see Jack standing, smiling, looking off toward the sea. My heart began to race as I remembered my promise to myself.

_"I swear, if we both make it through this, I'm going to try as best as I can to fix things between us."_

I took a deep breath and started up the steps toward Jack, his hat clutched tightly in my hand. I yearned to once again be in his arms, to be able to kiss him, and to be loved by him once again. I paused for a moment to compose myself. I missed him so much...

"Uhh...Jack?" I squeaked, my voice betraying me by cracking. He turned toward me, a surprised expression on his face.

"Wot?"

"Your hat...it...hit me in the face." I stammered, looking at the deck. I felt thirteen again, nervous by only his presence. "I...thought I'd bring it back. To you. So you can wear it..." I bit my tongue. '_So you can wear it?? What else can you do with a hat?? Eat it?? Stupid, Selesta! Stupid!'_

"Oh. Thanks." He mumbled, stepping toward me and taking his hat from my hand. A moment of silence passed between us. "We won." He said smiling, taking his place back at the helm.

"I know." I tried to smile back, but it was impossible. "I just wish I could enjoy it." I said, low enough so only I could hear. Or so I thought...

"Wot do ye mean by that?" He asked, his dark eyes staring intently at me. I felt my face burning red, embarrassed beyond belief; however, I forced myself to talk. He had to know how I felt, even if his emotions were gone.

"Jack, I..." I paused unsure of what to say. I took a deep breath and started again. "Jack. When I saw the Pearl being destroyed by the Kraken and I knew you were on it...I was destroyed. I...I had lost you to death for the second time. And our relationship...it was in shambles. It still is. And whether you still love me or not, I need you to know that I do love you just as much as I ever have." I paused, to compose my trembling voice. "And I know you have never abandoned me. And I know I acted out of accord. And I know that you may never forgive me for what I did...But I..."

"Selesta." He cut me off, stepping toward me. "I love you."

"You do?"

"Aye, love. I thought about ye constantly in the locker. I even saw ye there, but ye were only a mirage. And then when I came back to this world, I knew for certain ye didn't love me, so I decided I was going to become the next Jones. Ye always had my heart anyway, so it wouldn't be much to give it up to the Dutchman. That was...before this." He paused. "Do ye really love me, Selesta?"

"Of course!" I insisted, tears welling up in my eyes at how things were turning. He loved me! He still loved me!

"I..." He stopped and pulled me into his arms. "I never want to lose you again. Forgive me?"

"For what?!" I insisted, pulling back from him just enough to look at him. "You did nothing wrong..."

"I should've told ye about th' debt I had with Jones." He stuttered. "If I had, none o' this would've happened. Ye wouldn't have gotten so mad with me."

"No...I should've trusted you." I shook my head. "We both messed up! We both..." I was cut short by his lips pressing down against mine. And if I had thought the kiss at Shipwreck Cove was passionate, I was wrong. This one made the last look like child's play. Sparks passed between us and my knees were on the verge of giving out. We finally broke apart, each of us working to catch our breath.

"So I take it as we're both forgiven then?" He smiled his breathtaking smile and I nodded, unable to speak. How is it that things had worked out so well for me?? It wasn't possible! And yet...it was!

"Jack...yes. Yes. Can we get back to the way things were?"

"Of course, love." He smiled and bent down to kiss me again.

"Captain!" Gibbs' voice stopped us before the kiss. We both groaned and glared at the Pearl's first mate.

"Wot??" Jack asked, exasperated. I had to laugh a little...I couldn't believe he was mine again!

"I...never mind." He smiled, seeing the two of us clinging to each other. Good ol' Joshamee, always able to figure things out. Jack looked back at me and bent toward me again for our kiss. I quickly stepped up on my toes to better reach his kiss.

"Jack...wait." I stopped.

"No way, love. I just got ye back..." He angled his mouth toward mine again.

"Jack...really." I pulled back a little from his arms to look at him. "What's going to happen to Elizabeth and Will?" He sighed.

"I know he didn't want that life, but I had to save 'im. He was never the type to die..." Jack shook his head, all the trinkets in his hair jingling. "He'll have one more day ashore. Ten years at sea. And when he comes back to Elizabeth's waiting arms, he'll be free."

"Ten years?" I questioned. "That's a long time..."

"Aye." He shook his head sadly.

"But one more day ashore?" I repeated. "Well, then, we need to get his wife ashore with him." I looked over toward Elizabeth, standing at the rail of the ship, staring toward the Dutchman. Will could plainly be seen staring back at her. He nodded his head and looked at me. "I'll go tell Gibbs to get the Jolly Boat ready."

"Without me? I don't think so. Yer not getting out of my sight that easily." He smiled down at me and grabbed my hand. "I'll never leave ye again. I promise." I looked up at him, my heart thumping in my chest.

"Thank you." I whispered, hardly able to find my voice.

"But...a boat for 'Lizabeth..." He repeated, realizing the need to put off our emotions for just a bit longer. We walked down the stairs hand-in-hand, onto the maindeck, where Gibbs stood smiling, watching us. "Mr. Gibbs...ready a boat for Mrs. Turner to go ashore." Gibbs nodded, heading off to do the job. That's when I realized that everyone, and I mean EVERYONE, was staring at Jack at I.

"Why are they all staring at us?" I leaned over and whispered.

"They're waiting for a show, love."

"A show?"

"Aye. I'd been thinking about our fight a lot before we made up just now."

"I noticed...at Shipwreck Cove." I smiled, thinking back to the kiss.

"Aye." He stopped, seeming suddenly nervous.

"Are you alright?" I asked, a little worried. He was hardly ever this quiet.

"Aye...Aye...I just..." He paused again. "I just need to know something."

"Anything..."

"Will ye marry me?"


	39. Chapter 39: Far Together, Close Apart

**Woot...anther one I've been excited to write! And you know...I just realized how many more chapters I have to write until the end of the story...at the least, it'll be about five more chapters after this one. I have a great plan! I'm going to be totally conceited about it and say that I love it. It's great!**

* * *

"I...I..." I couldn't breathe. "Are you serious?"

"Serious as the grave." He stared at me, his face as serious as he sounded. "And speaking of graves..." He paused. "Death has a funny way of reshuffling one's priorities. And I know now that I don't want to die...again...without you." He wrapped his arms around me

"Jack..." I choked up, hardly believing what was happening. "But...we just got back together..." I protested. "Don't you think we should..."

"No." He shook his head. "I'm not takin' any more chances of losing you. Please, love. Marry me." He smiled, nervousness and uncertainty still showing in his face. We had gone so far together. Through life and death, we both managed on. Through arguments, we worked them out. We kept our hearts close, even when we were apart. We'd been together for years and it was now or never.

I nodded, unable to speak, with tears falling down my cheeks. The crew cheered, and Jack leaned down to kiss me once again, this time very gently, as if I would break.

"Hector!" He yelled. "Come 'ere! Would ye be up for marryin' another two pirates again today?" Barbossa walked through the crowd of pirates to stand in front of us. He rolled his eyes.

"It's about time!" He exclaimed, actually beginning to show a smile. "Dearly Beloved, we be gathered here today in the face of this company to join together this man and this woman in holy matrimony." He paused. "Be there any objections?"

"Wait." I paused, looking toward Jack. "I...I want my father to be here." I looked over toward the Dutchman, trying to spot him. I looked back toward Jack and he smiled and nodded.

"Of course, love." He looked around momentarily and quickly beckoned for Ragetti. "Oi...come 'ere." He motioned for him to come over and he did, as slowly and awkwardly as always. "Go over to th' Dutchman an' ask for Campbell Merrigue..." Ragetti nodded and scurried off toward the jolly boats. "Any other requests?" He joked, looking down at me, still wrapped in his arms.

"No." I smiled back up at him. I saw him reach down, and pull a ring off his finger, green and silver.

"This'll have to do for a while...til I can find a real wedding ring...one for both o' us." He smiled. "I've got to make sure the world knows that ol' Captain Jack is hitched."

"Tortuga will be an interesting stop after this..." I raised my eyebrows thinking of the...well, women of the world's oldest business, to put things nicely. Jack laughed.

"I think you're right about that one."

"'M back!" Ragetti yelled, climbing over the rail. I watched and saw my father climb over after him. The transformation was amazing! He was no longer the barnacle encrusted, seahorse man that I'd seen before. He was my father again! Just as I remembered him before he died.

"Selesta." He smiled. "I can't believe I'm finally getting to see this day." He turned toward Jack. "Your father and I used to joke about it...but its acutally happening." He stopped and looked back toward me. "I'm very happy for you, my dear. But enough of this! I'm holding up your wedding."

"Carry on, Barbossa..." Jack nodded toward him.

"Once again...we be gathered here today in the face of this company to join together this man and this woman in holy matrimony..."

* * *

"We'll be back for you next week, okay?" I pulled Elizabeth into a hug. "Congratulations, again, Elizabeth. I'm happy for you! And we'll help you through the rough spots. Jack and I will be here for you. Besides, Will would kill me if I ever let anything happen to you because he couldn't be there."

"Thank you." She smiled. "And congratulations to you, as well." She looked over toward Jack.

"Goodbye, Elizabeth. For now."

"Your chariot awaits, your highness. The oars are inside." Gibbs walked up to, pointing toward the jolly boat.

"Goodbye, Selesta. For now." She smiled half-heartedly, pulling me into another hug, and then turning to walk to her waiting "chariot". The crew lined was lined up along the way, each waiting their turn to say goodbye. I scurried through the crowd to stand next to Jack near the end of the line.

"You say your congratulations, already, love?" He asked as I approched, wrapping my arms around him.

"Aye." I sighed.

"We'll be back to get 'er in a week. Don't sound look upset. You're ruinin' the mood of me wedding day." He smiled.

"I'm sorry." I smiled back. "It's just...ten years, though, Jack. Its a long time. I could barely stand a few months without you, I could never stand ten years."

"If there's one thing I've learned about 'Lizabeth Swann...er...Turner, its that she's like you. She's strong." I felt his lips press against the top of my head. "She'll make it. And you'll be there to help her."

"Mrs. Turner." Barbossa nodded toward Elizabeth next to us. She smiled at the mentioning of her new name.

"Goodbye, Poppet." Pintel and Ragetti were next in the line. And now Jack and I.

"Jack." She smiled. "It would never have worked out between us, you know." They both laughed, enjoying the private joke that they shared. I didn't totally understand it, but...well, I probably didn't want to know anyway.

"Well, I'll take what I was given." His grip around me tightened slightly.

"Thank you, Jack. For everything." He merely nodded. "And thank you, Selesta. You've been there for me since I was a child."

"What are friends for?" I smiled. "Now, go on. He's waiting for you."

* * *

"It's rather bittersweet." I sighed, watching Elizabeth stepping onto the shore from Jack's spyglass. Thank goodness he was back to using his real one,and had ditched the huge useless one. I'd never be able to hold that up and actually use it.

"Aye." He nodded from his place at the helm. "But tonight 'm counting on things gettin' much better for ye, Mrs. Sparrow..." I couldn't help but laugh.

"We need to move my things out from my old room and into the Captain's cabin." I smiled, collapsing the spyglass back together, and feeling satisfied at the metallic sound of Jack's ring knocking against it. It was an unbelieveable feeling to be married.

"Now?" He asked, raising his eyebrows suspiciously.

"Well, I hardly think Will and Elizabeth should be the only newly weds to have some fun today." I walked toward him and grabbed his arm, pulling him away from the helm. "Cotton- at the wheel!" I yelled behind me as Jack and I hurried off to our quarters.

And just as Jack had promised, things got much, _much_ better that night...

Being married certainly had its advantages.


	40. Author's Appology

I'm really sorry, my lovelies. I just don't think I'm ever going to be able to finish. I just don't have the time or, frankly, the will to finish. I wrote my stories to get me through dark times in my life, but honestly my life has gotten so much better--I don't really need to write anymore. I have other outlets...

Pain leads to finding ways to let that pain out. For me, that was writing.

But I don't think I should leave you with no ending. So, in the next "chapter" I'm going to tell you what my plans were for the story. You don't have to look if you don't want to, but it is there if you do want to know.

Once again, I'm sorry, guys. I'll just leave you with an outline and and appology. I do hate to let Selesta go...she's been such a part of me for so long! Soooo...if anyone else is having trouble with that and wants to pick up her story and write it...talk to me. I don't want her story to just stop, but I can't write it, either.

Anywho...the next chapter will be an outline to let you know what would have happened.

Thanks for staying with me for so long, guys. I really appreciate it and hate to admit that I probably won't write my stories anymore.

-ScarletRosePetal


	41. Outline, Part 1

So, as promised, here is a quick outline of my plans for Selesta and everyone...

Well, in the last chapter I wrote, Jack and Selesta had their nice little honeymoon night of...philosophical discussions and...religious debates. Riiight. We'll go with that.

Anyway, from here, they pick up Elizabeth from the island and the three of them continue with life, waiting for Will to return. Elizabeth decides she doesn't want to be Pirate King anymore since everything is over. So she keeps her Lordship title to give to Will when he returns and turns over the Kingship to Jack. A month or so into their sailing, Elizabeth realizes she's pregnant.

And then another month later, so does Selesta. For real this time, haha.

And she's having twins.

Huzzah! Jack gets to deal with TWO hormonal, pregnant women. And his woman is having two kids!

So one day, the Black Pearl is in port down in the Caribbean. Elizabeth and Selesta are having crazy food cravings, so Jack took them to land to grab what they need. They're walking around, looking for food and talking baby names when they come across a poster of their faces.

A wanted poster.

Signed by Lord Cutler Beckett.

He's alive.

Turns out, he's the only one to survive the explosion. Actually, a few others survived, but he killed them so they couldn't tell anyone about his inaction during the fight. So he kept his titles and is still searching for all of the Pirate Lords.

Oh, how fun!

~And that's where Far Together, Close Apart was going to end.~

But you know me...There's a sequel!! So really, you're getting two outlines in one! So you can't hate me! (I hope.)

Anyway, the story starts as Jack, as the King, calls another meeting. On the way there, there's a huge storm which induces Elizabeth into giving birth in the middle of the tempest. Selesta helps her deliver it. A baby boy is born--William Turner III. William Jackson, actually.

A week later, two days outside of Shipwreck Cove, Selesta goes into an early birth. The first born is a little boy, Daniel Teague Sparrow. The next baby takes hours. They were beginning to fear for both the baby and Selesta's life when finally, out pops a little girl. Rebecca Lizzie Sparrow. So now there are three little babies on Jack's ship. William, Danny, and Becca.

They arrive at the meeting and Jack tells everyone that Beckett is alive--that they're fighting again. Teague meets his grandchildren. And Eliabeth becomes somewhat depressed looking at the Sparrow family and seeing what she wants more than anything--her husband and father.

So anywho, the pirates are more careful this time about gathering a "navy". Every pirate is responsible for finding at least twenty more ships, each. But while they're all going around looking for more Pirates to join in the fight, Jack starts freaking out about keeping his wife and little babies (and Elizabeth and her little babe [because he knows Will would kill him if he let anything happen to them]) safe and tries to talk Selesta into taking some money and buying a house for them to stay in while he's off at the fight. He actually manages to talk them into it after a verbally abusive fight on all their parts. They know they have to keep the children safe (Will is now about six weeks old, and the twins about two weeks).

So Elizabeth and Selesta buy a small cottage on the "nice" side of Tortuga.

Jack sails off, happy that they're safe and that he found five more ships to join the fight. The women receive letters and occasional visits from Jack telling them all about everything, but as the fight draws nearer, he does not visit and the letters are very sparsely coming.

One night, the EITC invades Tortuga, capturing pirates left and right. Selesta, Elizabeth, and the children (who are now five months and four months) manage escape by commandeering a small sail boat while Tortuga goes up in flames.

Meanwhile, Jack receives a letter from Beckett, congratulating him on all his hard work and on his becoming King. He offers, once again, freedom if Jack will turn in the other Lords and become an employee of the EITC. He shows the letter to Gibbs, both of them wondering how Beckett discovered that he became king, and then burns it.

Okay, that's as far as I can write right now (I have heaps of homework) but I'll get the rest of it up soon. Once again, I'm sorry, guys.

And Ali, darling, I love that you want to work with my characters! You'll do an amazing job. Shoot me any messages if you have issues with them...they can be rather tempermental when they don't like how the story is going and sometimes they fight amongst themselves if you don't update soon enough (I of all people would know that...sorry!)

Good grief...I've gotten waaaay too attached to this story.


	42. Outline, Part 2

Hahaha, so I just have to tell you guys this. It made me laugh. So, when I was thinking of the total outline for this story, I thought about killing Jack. Again.

But then I decided that you really can't kill the same character three times.

So! Where were we? Ahh, yes...Jack burns Beckett's letter.

Back with the women, Selesta and Elizabeth sail around for a bit, waiting for the EITC to leave. They stay just out of sight of the Island, unable to go much further. It is hard to sail with three babies aboard, after all. They wait until sundown to check things out. When they get back to the island, it is deserted. No druken men and women, no EITC soldier, and definately no pirates.

Meanwhile, Jack is getting disheartened because everyone is having trouble getting enough ships and supporters for their battle.

The women go back to their cottage and find it ransacked. Elizabeth suddenly remembers that she left Will's chest behind--the one that contains his heart. She runs to check on where she hid it, and it is still there. Selesta and Elizabeth decide to stay the night and leave in the morning. When the morning comes, there is a knock on the door. They are terrified, but it turns out to just be the mail carrier from the other side of the island. He asks what has happened and they tell him. He gives them a letter and leaves.

The letter is from Jack. He is explaining their situation and that they are still greatly outnumbered. Selesta and Elizabeth start to pack up all their things that are still in the cottage when Elizabeth gets an idea.

Jack is at shipwreck cove, in the middle of a meeting, when a lookout comes running in, saying that a ship was spotted on the horizon. It turns out to be Selesta and Elizabeth, much to everyone's surprise.

There is a joyful reunion for the Sparrow family and for Elizabeth and William. Selesta then explains to Jack that Elizabeth had the most brilliant idea.

Will, of course! He helped them all win the first time, why couldn't he help them again?

So they try to figure out how to get ahold of the Captain of the Flying Dutchman--not exactly an easy task. But they decide that since Elizabeth has his heart, it must be possible. So she pulls out the key and the chest and opens it up. Though she feels ridiculous, she talks to it, telling it everything and that they need him to come. Nothing happens.

So they decide to break off for the night and try something else in the morning. Jack, Selesta, Elizabeth, and the children (who are now about seven and six months old) head off to the Pearl for the night.

Elizabeth is sleeping in her cabin, William in a makeshift crib next to her bed, when she hears a noise. She wakes up and thinks its William, but he is still asleep. She hears it again...its the ringing of a ship's bell. So, she thinks it's just the Pearl's bell and lays back down. But when she hears it again, there's something about it that gives her chills. So she picks up William and goes onto the deck of the Pearl. She then hears Jack talking and thinks he's talking to the men on lookout. But when she finds him, she sees another ship. It's the Dutchman.

And Jack is talking to Will.

Obviously, she runs toward the two of them. But before she can tackle Will to the floor, Jack grabs her and won't let her touch him. Will appologizes and explains that she, since she is living, she cannot touch him before the ten years are up or he will be unable to return to land after the ten years to stay there.

Jack leaves to give them some privacy and to let Selesta know that Elizabeth's plan had worked. And maybe some more philisophical discussions. Haha.

Will meets William. They talk about everything that has happened and of how much they miss each other. Elizabeth tells him that she's going to give him her title as Pirate Lord when he comes back to the human world. He tells her to keep it, that he knows she would miss the title if she gave it up. She also asks if he can help them. He tells her that the Dutchman can help again and that he has another plan, but he doesn't want to get her hopes up because it may not work.

In the morning, all of the Sparrows and Turners have breakfast together. Will laughs about the fact that the infamous Captain Jack Sparrow has become a family man. But after the lightheartedness, they talk about Beckett and the issues faced.

Will stays for a few more days, but then leaves to work on his plan. He promises to return as soon as he can, probably within a week or two. But three months later, he is still gone. (And just as an update so you can remember [and so I can remember, too! Haha] the babies are now 9 months and 8 months).

Meanwhile, in London, Beckett has resigned himself to the fact that he is not going to get a letter back from Jack. He decides it is time to attack the pirates once again.

The Pirate Lords are fighting amongst themselves, saying that they cannot keep waiting for Will to return. They decide to go ahead toward London without him and hope that he will come soon. They know that the time for a fight must be coming soon, and that they need to face it. Jack, Selesta, and Elizabeth aren't thrilled with this plan, but they go ahead with it.

So. Everyone is sailing toward each other when out of no where comes the Flying Dutchman; however, Will is nowhere to be seen. Bootstrap is acting as Captain, which worries everyone quite a bit. But before they get a chance to talk, they spot Beckett's fleet. Once again, they are grossly outnumbered. The fight begins, very differently this time. There is no one-on-one fight--every ship is headed toward the enemy and will fight at the same time.

The fight starts and it is looking terrible for the pirates when thousands of ships break the surface of the water. With Will captaining the front ship, of course.

Will's plan worked--to bring back a few people and ships from the dead for a little favor for him.

Needless to say, the pirates won the fight. So Beckett really is dead this time.

A few years of pirating, sailing, and enjoying life later, the Sparrows and Turners are standing on an island, staring at a sunset. You know the scene! Of course in my version, Selesta is there as well, with Becca and Danny. Of course, William and Danny are the best of friends and there's a bit of an amorous attraction between Becca and William. Everyone is reunited and they all lived happily ever after.

Ok, really?

No.

I hate that line. Characters and people do not live "happily ever after." It's too sappy.

Jack isn't happy with JUST life. Duh. We all know he really wants to live forever! He might have changed a bit in all of my family man and marriage crap, but he's not that different.

So off to "La Aqua de Vida", then?

I'll just let my readers decide.


End file.
